The Built Environment of Public Access Terminals (PAT) - Additional information

Basic design features for text based signs

Standard CEN/TS 15291:2006 - Identification card system - Guidance on design for accessible card-activated sevices states:

General
Text based signs for location should:

  1. Use simple clear typeface (preferably sans serif) with both upper and lower case letters
  2. Lower case letters should be 60% to 70% of upper case letter height
  3. Where dot matrix technology is used the dot matrix for characters should be preferably 9x14 dots
  4. Use Arabic numerals
  5. Use a character width to height ratio of between 3:5 and 1:1
  6. Use a stroke width to height ratio of between 1:5 and 1:10
  7. Use a hight contrast, preferably light characters on a dark background, or dark characters on a light background (eg. black on white or white on black)
  8. Avoid glare by using matt surfaces and suitable location of light sources

Lighting for signs
Lighting should be placed so that unwanted reflections should not occur on the sign. The luminance factor of the surface of numbers, letters or symbols should be not less than 0.3 (30%) from their background. Ideally signs should be internally illuminated for night time and poor ambient day light conditions.

The minimum level of illumination on signs should be 200 lux. Distractive lighting behind/adjacent to signs should be avoided.

Placement of signs located parallel with front of terminal
Ideally signs should be placed within a zone at a height not less than 1,400mm and not more than 1,600mm above the plane of the finished floor. Where space in this zone is used up, the zone for the placement of signs may be extended downward to not less than 1,000mm from the plane of the finished floor. This height assists people to read them from either a seated or standing position and also assists people with low vision to read the information on the sign.

Where a sign can be temporarily obscured, eg. in a crowd, the sign should be placed at a height of not less than 2,000mm above the place of the finished floor.

For more detailed information on the above, International symbols of access and Sign maintenance please refer to the above-mentioned standard.


Alternative methods for locating PATs

Standard CEN/TS 15291:2006 - Identification card system - Guidance on design for accessible card-activated sevices states:

Tactile signs and symbols
Characters, symbols or pictograms on tactile signs should:

  1. Incorporate embossed letters with a depth of 1.25mm ± 0.25mm
  2. Have a san serif type face with a stroke of 1.75mm ± 0.25mm
  3. Have letters with edges that are slightly rounded but not half round in section
  4. Have a height of between 15mm and 50mm
  5. If wall mounted, have the centre at a height of 1,500mm ± 25mm

Signs should be located on the wall, beside the door opening, with the closest edge 50mm to 70mm from the doorframe. Where braille is to be provided the following recommendations apply:

  1. Grade 1 braille should be used for single word signs
  2. Grade 2 contracted braille should be used to reduce the length of multi-word signs
  3. Where braille forms part of a sign, a marker (eg. a notch) should be located at the left hand edge of the sign to help locate the braille message

Detectable tactile floor surfaces for warning and way guidance
Detectable tactile floor surfaces for warning and way guidance should be:

  1. At least 900mm long
  2. Of a texture and colour that contrasts with the surrounding walking surfaces
  3. Different for warnings and directional indicators

For more detailed information on the above please refer to the above-mentioned standard.


Lighting requirements

Standard CEN/TS 15291:2006 - Identification card system - Guidance on design for accessible card-activated sevices states:

Lighting (natural and artificial) in the user space should:

  1. Provide ambient lighting around the terminal area of at least 300 lux. (200 lux is stated elsewhere in this document)

For more detailed information on the above please refer to the above-mentioned standard.


Requirements for an accessible route to the card-activated device

Standard CEN/TS 15291:2006 - Identification card system - Guidance on design for accessible card-activated sevices states:

Gradient
The route to the front of the terminal should be continuous, at least 1,500mm (except at doorways) and should have a maximum gradient of no more than 1:20.

Overhead obstructions
The access route and area in front of the terminal should have no overhanging obstructions or hazards. All fixtures and fittings such as signs, lights, awnings, opening windows, building structures and similar objects (including tree branches) should have a minimum clearance of 2,200mm above the trafficable surface.

Seating
Seating provided along the access route or adjacent to the terminal or card reading device should be a minimum of 500mm away from the path of travel or user operating area.

Protrusion of objects
Objects protruding with their leading edges between 680mm and 2,000mm from the floor should protrude a maximum of 100mm into the access route.

Width and height of an accessible route

  1. At least 1,800mm, if there is intense simultaneous use in both directions by the population at large, including people in wheelchairs
  2. At least 1,500mm, if the route is less busy and passing places are provided. (1,200mm is the absolute minimum for wheelchair access)
  3. If passing places are provided, they should be in accordance with BS 8300

Space in front of card-activated devices
User operating space
The area immediately in front of a card-activated device provided for the user operating space should be a minimum of 1,500mm by 1,500mm and should preferably be 2,000mm by 2,000mm. This should allow wheelchair users to approach a terminal from the side or front and to allow sufficient space to turn a wheelchair to leave the terminal.

Turning requirements
Where wheelchair users are required to make a 180° turn to leave the user operating space the area should provide a minimum of 2,070mm in the direction of travel and a minimum of 1,540mm width. Ideally there should be 2,270mm in the direction of travel and 1,740mm width.

Electric wheelchair
An electric wheelchair intended for outdoor use may require a free space of 2,300mm by 2,300mm for a 180° turn and ideally the user operating space should accommodate this.

Forward approach
Where the depth of the alcove or other confined area exceeds 610mm, the width of the clear floor space should be 915mm minimum.

Data accommodating manually operated wheelchairs
Parallel approach
Where the depth of the alcove or other confined area exceeds 380mm, the length of the clear floor space should be 1,525mm minimum.

Location of operating features
For access and viewing from the side, operating features should be 750mm to 1,300mm above the ground or floor level. Preferably, operating features should be 750mm to 1,080mm above the ground or floor level and up to 150mm from the front edge of the machine.

Screen angle
As for frontal approach, the screen should be at an angle of 20° to 35° from the vertical and between 750mm and 1,300mm from the ground or floor level.

For more detailed information on the above, Access route, Circulation spaces, Street furniture, Doors and Access from user operating area, please refer to the above-mentioned standard.


Entrances

Access to ATMs: UK design guidelines states:

For the entrance door, the recommended preferred effective clear width is 800mm for a straight-on approach. Depending on the width of the access route, this may increase to 850mm when a right-angled turn is required. Door-closing mechanisms should be set so that the maximum closing force at the leading edge of a door fitted with this type of device should not exceed 20 Newtons. The detailed requirements for self-closing single swing doors are given in Section 6.3.2 Self-closing single swing doors in BS 8300:2001.

Any door entry system should be located on the latch side of the door with the activation pad positioned within 200mm of the door frame at a height between 750mm and 1,000mm from the floor level. There should be an unobstructed space of at least 300mm between the leading edge of a door and the return wall.

To enable wheelchair users to go through a lobby with single leaf doors both opening inwards, a minimum width of 300mm plus the width of the door leaf and a length of 1,570mm plus twice the width of the door leaf is recommended. Further guidance is given in Section 6.3.6 Entrance lobbies in BS 8300:2001.


Acknowledgements

The information contained in this section was taken from the following sources:



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