New standards for barrier-free environment are being introduced in Belarus from August 1

New standards for ensuring an accessible environment are being introduced in Belarus from August 1, as reported to BelTA by Yekaterina Karytko, a leading engineer at the Department of Technical Regulation and Standardization in Mechanical Engineering and Resource Saving of the Belarusian State Institute for Standardization and Certification (BelGISS).

The standards have been developed in accordance with the subprogramme "Accessible Environment for the Life of Disabled Persons and Physically Weakened Individuals" and contain requirements for the design and installation of lifting mechanisms and technical means of social rehabilitation, ensuring the safe movement of people with disabilities.

In particular, STB ISO 23599-2019 is designed to help visually impaired people navigate spaces through the convenient placement of special elements – tactile indicators (warning and guiding), which ensure the correct perception of information transmitted through tactile surfaces both indoors and outdoors (near pedestrian crossings, railway platforms, stairs, ramps, escalators, elevators).

The STB EN 81-82-2019 standard aims to improve elevator accessibility for all passengers, including passengers with disabilities, while STB ISO 19026-2019 addresses issues faced by elderly citizens and people with disabilities when using public toilets (the standard establishes requirements for the shape, colour, and location of flush and call buttons).

STB ISO 10865-2-2019 establishes test methods and requirements for the design, performance, and marking of wheelchair restraint systems, as well as for related instructions and warnings. "Safe transportation usually requires additional equipment for securing and holding wheelchairs in emergency situations. The standard offers alternative solutions for efficient use of space, convenience, and passenger independence during travel," explained the leading engineer of BelGISS.

STB EN 12182-2019 establishes general technical requirements and test methods for assistive devices that fall under medical equipment. These include orthopaedic walking aids, wheelchairs, prostheses, walkers, and canes.

Ekaterina Karitko noted that the new standards were developed with the support of public associations of disabled people and the Belarusian Prosthetic and Orthopaedic Rehabilitation Centre, and comply with modern international requirements. "Work on improving the regulatory legal framework is ongoing," she added.

The formation of a barrier-free environment is a crucial condition for ensuring equal opportunities for disabled and physically weak individuals to participate in society. This involves creating conditions that ensure unimpeded movement (on foot, in wheelchairs, by private and public transport); access to buildings and structures, including residential buildings and apartments, movement and activities within these facilities, as well as in places of recreation and tourism, recreational and health-improving facilities; and access to a full range of services and information.

News of Belarus (BELTA)