07/04/2021
Staying accessible during COVID; maintaining braille and tactile readability
In an attempt to make their lifts more COVID safe, a building management team decided to cover the lift controls in plastic sheeting. Why is this such a big problem? It’s actually two big problems. The first is that, with the plastic in place, the braille markings on the lift buttons become completely illegible to someone trying to read them, especially when the plastic is ripped. This means that anyone who relies on braille wouldn’t know which button to use. The second problem is that for someone with low vision, the green plastic and tearing would make reading the symbols extremely difficult.
Not only does this ‘solution’ make accessing the lifts harder for people with low vision or people who need to use braille, it isn’t even an effective COVID19 prevention method. Most lift companies recommend wiping down lift control panels with a disinfectant wipe, or a cloth with disinfectant sprayed onto it.
Truly a triple threat; inaccessible, ineffective, and really ugly.
What should you do?
Schindler Worldwide recommends “Regularly cleaning high-contact surfaces such as elevator buttons is one of the easiest ways to help prevent the spread of the virus. Some steps to follow include using air disinfectant inside elevators and wiping buttons, doors, walls, and handrails with disinfectant once every hour”.
