COMENTARY ON BS 8300:2001 DESIGN OF BUILDINGS AND THEIR APPROACHES TO MEET THE NEEDS OF DISABLED PEOPLE
 
BS8300 gives detailed recommendations on how to design a building to make it accessible to the disabled; it provides guidance in areas not covered by Approved Document M.
 
BS 8300 - 6.3.2 states:

The principal entrance to a building should take into consideration the following factors.
a.        the prominence and visual relationship of the entrance with its surroundings;
b.        the type of threshold needed to allow convenient wheelchair manoeuvre;
c.        the ease of operation of the principal entrance door;
d.        the minimum effective clear width through the doorway
 
“ Where the force of the closing device is insufficient to keep an entrance door closed under windy conditions, consideration should be given to installing one of the following door closing systems:
a.        a power operated (automatic) door;
b.        a low energy swing door;
c.        a power operated revolving door arrangement;
d.        an entrance lobby or air lock system of inner and outer doors

BS 8300 - 6.5 states: “The smooth operation of door furniture that is easily reached, and which provides a secure grip, is of critical importance to disabled people.
If the force required for opening doors is greater than wheelchair users and people with limited strength can manage (a value of 20N is deemed to be the maximum closing force at the leading edge of a door), they will be unable to continue their journeys. If the force of the closing device is too great or its speed too fast, disabled people risk being pushed off balance.
“Wheelchair users also find difficulty reaching to close doors behind them when there is no automatic closing device.” 

Door Opening Furniture

BS 8300 indicates the following considerations for door furniture fitted to entrances.
Shape & Size – handles should be operable with one hand and be shaped in a way that allows it to be operated with a closed fist. The minimum diameter for a pull handle should be 19mm offset 45mm (min) from the face of the door and backset 54mm (min) from edge of door. Vertical pull handles are to have a preferred length of 400mm.
Positioning – A height of 1000mm from the floor is the preferred position for door handles.
Materials – External fittings should not be ‘cold to the touch’ – for example nylon or wood finish handles
Visual Contrast – fittings should contrast in both colour and luminance with its surroundings.