The terms, “visually contrasting” or “colour-contrasting,” can be quite subjective, but the goal is to achieve something that is clearly visible (Figure 2). Several apps on the market can help one determine or calculate the percentage of colour-contrast being achieved (aim for 70 per cent).

Doors located in a path of travel should be provided with a sidelight or equipped with a glazed panel to permit someone to view anyone approaching from the other side. The bottom edge of glazed panels must not be higher than 900 mm above the finished floor level.

Identification

Put yourself in the shoes of someone with low or no vision. Close your eyes and imagine walking up to a door and feeling around for the door frame and hardware, and looking for the signage to confirm you are where you need to be. When you find the signage, you notice it is posted centrally on the door and you lean in to take a closer look or to touch the raised lettering and the braille, when all of a sudden the door comes crashing into your face and jolting you backward. This is a problem many people with low or no vision face when trying to find a door opening or confirm they are at the correct door. A proposed change to 2020 NBC seeks to require (while CSA B651 makes it mandatory) postage of all permanent room identification signage be on the latch-side of doors to prevent people who read signage up-close or through touch from being in the way of an outward-swinging door (Figure 3).

Approach

Where there is a door without a large, level, unobstructed landing or manoeuvring clearance, it makes opening a door almost impossible for some people, and puts them at risk of falling, tipping, or incurring injury. Unless equipped with a power door operator, a swinging door in an accessible path of travel is required to have an unobstructed latch-side clearance for the full height of the doorway of 600 mm (24 in.) on the ‘pull’ side and 300 mm (12 in.) on the ‘push’ side (Figure 4). OBC also goes on to require a 300-mm latch-side clearance on each side of a sliding door. The intent of this requirement is to ensure people, particularly individuals using mobility devices, pushing strollers, or similar things steer clear of the physical door swing when opening the door and have enough space to push open a door.

Where a vestibule is part of an accessible path of travel, the distance between two doors in series is required to be not less than 1200 mm (47 in.), per 2015 NBC or 1350 mm per CSA B651. For comparison of a more restrictive provision, OBC requires two doors in series of one another forming part of a vestibule to be not less than 1500 mm apart, and where the doors are not aligned or perpendicular to one another be designed to accommodate a 1500-mm turning circle clear of any door swing. Vestibules can be dangerous without proper clearances between door swings, as it causes people to get trapped or prevents someone from entering a building or space all together. So, if you are ever designing or renovating a vestibule, be more like OBC.

The floor surface on each side of a door in an accessible path of travel is required to be unobstructed and level within a rectangular area that is as wide as the door plus the latch-side clearance (unless equipped with a power door operator) for a depth not less than the accessible path of travel serving that door, but need not exceed 1500 mm. This was the standard for both sides of a door, but the 2020 NBC may be increasing its requirements to include a door manoeuvring clearance that is not less than 1700 mm (67 in.) x 1500 mm. Whereas standards such as CSA B651 have already adopted different sized clearances based on a specific approach—hinge side, latch side, front, or side.