Detailed Access Audit Report: Chadstone Shopping Centre, Australia

This report presents an access audit of the Chadstone Shopping Centre in Malvern East, Victoria, Australia, evaluating its accessibility for disabled individuals. The audit considers various barriers faced by people with disabilities, legislative factors such as the Disability Discrimination Act 1992, and the building's features including parking, entrances, lifts, and sensory provisions. The report highlights the importance of management responsibility in maintaining accessible routes, clean facilities, and adequate lighting. It also discusses emergency equipment, evacuation procedures, and safety issues. The Chadstone Shopping Centre's commitment to providing accessible spaces, including dedicated parking, changing places, and quiet rooms, is analyzed, alongside the availability of language assistance and trained employees. The audit emphasizes the role of inclusive design in enhancing the shopping experience for all customers, including those with mobility and sensory impairments.

ACCESS AUDIT OF AN
EXISTING BUILDING
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................3
MAIN BODY...................................................................................................................................3
Barriers faced by the disable people............................................................................................3
Access and legislative factor........................................................................................................4
Introduction to the building.........................................................................................................4
Location and transport factor.......................................................................................................5
Building layout............................................................................................................................5
Accessibility features of the building i.e. the Chadstone Shopping Centre.................................5
Management responsibility..........................................................................................................6
Emergency equipments and evacuation.......................................................................................7
Important safety issues.................................................................................................................8
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................9
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................11

INTRODUCTION
Access audit also termed as the disability discrimination act audit, is like a survey of the
building of an environment to check it against the best practices of standards to specify its better
and convenient accessibility to the disabled user (McGregor-Lowndes and Crittall, 2019). It
involves the investigation across the building premises to determine whether it has legislation
access, or can have different cells and services for the service user group or not. Access audit
concept is continuously growing as and usually lay out by the various specialist which can be
architects, people with the disability. As the main purpose of the access audit is to know how
well mannerly a particular building is performing on the basis of its accessibility and ease of use
by numerous people that also address the people with the mobility and have the sensory
impairments. Following report will cover the access audit of Chadstone shopping centre that is
located in Malvern East, Victoria Australia. It will also highlight the different factors that are
available at shopping destination for the disable people.
MAIN BODY
Barriers faced by the disable people
In diverse society where the social inclusion is the major issue as demographics are
changing, in particular inhabitants are ageing and there is enhancement found in immigration.
Because of such it is important to lay out the access audit to know whether such buildings are
performing under rules and regulations or not. As there are many obstacles which the disable
people face in any context. In Australia there are many factors which suggests that people with
the disability face the issues as discriminatory attitudes during recruitment and at work place
negative behaviour by employers, lack of employment for disable people, these are the major
consideration which the government is trying to fix it with certain regulation and implementation
of the laws and act (Ahmad and et.al 2018). As for the building it is important to construct with
concern of every people, as some barriers are most of the people face the short breath or possible
have the ankle sprain can found stairs as difficult.
Other barriers are if the people do not have good grip then the circular doorknob is also
complex for them to use. And for the poor eye sight people street furniture that is not efficiently
cited is dangerous for them, they might get hurt and it can also cause the hazardous situation for
them. If in the building there is no guiding blocks at the pedestrian pathway is another problem,
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also no availability of the braille signs and railing in the lifts cause the major problem for the
disable people they might get into the sever accidents that might become a life threatening event
for them. Thus rules and regulations are implemented to overcome all the barriers that have been
faced by the disable people.
Access and legislative factor
Disability discrimination act 1992 and United nation’s convention for the disable people’s
rights gives the legislation act for the Australian governmental aspect for covering the issues that
is faced by the disable people and to allow them to access their rights in order to empowering
them. This act in Australia is implemented which is must followed by the organisations to avoid
any kind of discrimination against the disable people. It is found that chadstone shopping centre
follows the rules and standards that are implemented by government or they tries to follow it at
good extent. As physical access for the disabled people are there as have the disabled parking
spaces at every major entrance of the shopping centre. Travellators and lifts and other services
are available for the disable people (Jayus and Khan, 2019). It is also important to have the
sensory access that covers the people who have the sensory or vision impairments for that they
required a special design of signs, and labels as well as listening system so that it will be
convenient for the people with disability. Communication access should also be there to help the
people who have the complexity with the visions and language. It is also identified that
chadstone building follows the health and safety act for the wellbeing of their all customers and
staff members.
Introduction to the building
Chadstone shopping centre building also known as the chaddy that is opened in the year
1960 at Malvern East, Australia. It is consider as the biggest regional shopping centre in the
country, it has the 9300 free car parking services and also host the major trade events to attracts
the tourist. Both customers and the staff uses the building. Approximately there are 320
employees who are working on the daily basis in the building and aim to provide better facilities
to the guests. There main focus is also towards the disable people to help them with their better
services so that they will also enjoy their visiting. It is analysed that Chadstone shopping centre
has opened the changing place facility for the people with disability. As main purpose behind
this services is to allow the people with profound disability to access the better bathroom

amenities (Owusu-Ansah, Baisie and Oduro-Ofori, 2019). Facility that is situated near the
chadstone’s fresh food is created on the basis of the Australian guidelines for the changing places
to fulfil the requirements of the people who are aiming to use the amenities that also covers the
change table. They also claim that there changing place facility is efficient which enables them to
inclusively welcome all people, diverse communities to meet the changing expectations of the
guests.
Location and transport factor
Chadstone provides the complimentary access for the motorised vehicles and wheelchairs
for the guest convenience. As they offer the disables parking area and other facilities such as lifts
for the disable people. Concierge desk is also available for the people so that they can easily
collects the wheelchairs from there. This desk team is available to provide guidance, direction
and other information like lost property so that people can easily visit without any problem. Thus
special signs are also there to guide the people with disability, so they can’t face any problem.
Building layout
There is complete freedom for the movement is there in the shopping centre as separate
entry and exit is there. Chadstone offers the free Wi-Fi services to their customers, also for the
people’s convenience their concierge team speaks different languages that helps in assisting the
people for their better experience (Dropkin and Smith, 2021). As their main service which is
changing place is not an optional area but it is consider as the necessary facilities to provide the
better facilities to disable people and their carers to become socially engaged. It is the great
movement by the shopping centre with regards to the disable people. Other information desk is
also there for providing the better seamless shopping experience to the guests.
Accessibility features of the building i.e. the Chadstone Shopping Centre
In order to illustrate over the accessibility feature of the Chadstone shopping building, it
has been evaluated that the entrances of the mall is extremely equipped with both such as with
the ramp and steps (McKerrow and et.al., 2019). This facility has been provided to the users at
all the entrances of the building. Moreover, the front door also have the ability to automatically
opens and the reception is right next to the door in order to ease the assistance ways to the users
coming to the shopping centre. Chadstone shopping destination is mainly committed to provide
the better and safe services to the people with disability, they commit to provide the accessible
space for all customers. In such the major highlights is parking space for the disabled people at
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every entrance that are available across the centre for customer convenience. It is also analysed
that building also provides the special number if any customer found to access the services and
concierge team easily respond to it for providing the remarkable shopping experience to
customers.
Chadstone is proud to provide the facilities with the complete sized change tables and the
hoist to fulfil the demands of the customer who are with the severe disabilities. They also
provide the quiet room for the people with special arrangement at some distance from noise. As
families with the autistic children can easily avail such noise free area services and can also
allow to use the room for their other prayer purpose. It is also identified that chadstone tourist
shopping passport is also aims to give the access for 100 plus offers for any customer who are
residing from 50 km distance to the shopping destination (Mayordomo-Martínez and et.al 2019).
Language assistance is also there as concierge team speaks various language to assist the people
and also provides the gift cards to the people. Thus better accessibility facilities at the building is
available so that it can’t bother disable people, as emergency exit is also there that ensures the
safely exit of every customers, emergency team and other medical services is also there for the
customers. They have the trained and skilled full employees who are efficient in providing the
better services to the customer so that they again visit the centre. Employees are also trained to
handle the people with the disability to provide them better convenient services.
Management responsibility
In order to enhance the accessibility for all people and especially for the disabled people,
the management of the shopping centre must ensure that the routes that are in circular motion
and spaces are kept free from any obstructions. The facilities are kept into clean format which
are highly able to function properly. The lighting levels are also required to be adequate for even
old age people so that they can not also face any kind of difficulty. The spaces should be
incurred in primarily manner for the ones who are disabled which also involves the safety zones
as well as toilets are also accessible with wheelchairs (Dropkin and Smith, 2021). The toilets are
the places which required to be clean and free from any kind of luggage as it requires to be free
from storage spaces or locked off during business hours. From various studies, it has been
determined that with the help of improved accessibility level along with safety especially for the
disables people the value of the building also enhances.

This concept promotes accessible tourism that can also been accessed by disables people
as well. Shopping centres have appropriate and convenient parking with easy access to entrances
along with automated doors to assist with getting in and out of the centre. Although the
Chadstone shopping centre have well-designed dedicated disabled parking bays that is being
basically positioned as near to the centre as possible. The doors with opening controls at the
height of wheel chair make it even more easier for wheel chair users to access the Chadstone
shopping centre. Basically anyone who has limited mobility can get around the shopping centre
by using a wheel chair. The Chadstone shopping centre take part into the shop mobility scheme
by making their wheelchairs available to their shoppers who are in need in order to aid them with
limited mobility to shop and make full use of the shopping facilities. In order to make the whole
centre accessible, the management of the Chadstone shopping centre tries their maximum to
make toilets at convenient places and ideally accessible for disabled people which allows left and
right transfer for the wheelchair users along with having an adjustable changing table completely
with power hoist. This has been located conveniently throughout the shopping centre along with
fitted with an emergency alarms (Maciejko, Wojtyszyn and Skrzypczak, 2019). For the
customers who are partially sighted, the management of the shopping centre provide larger print
versions of the shopping guide along with map from the consumer service information desk. In
all the above manner, the management of the Chadstone shopping centre fulfils their
responsibilities in order to assist their maximum to the disabled people and make the shopping
centre accessible for everyone.
Emergency equipments and evacuation
There are numerous fire exists located throughout the building. The staff members are
highly familiarized with themselves with all fire exits throughout the building even if they are
unable to work in the particular section of the building. Each and every staff member is highly
able to provide an information to the guests to consider the closest exits to public areas which
includes all meeting rooms, the conference centre, training rooms and the library as these are the
areas where members of the public will be in any emergency situation. Staff are highly able to
know how best to get members of the public safety from diversified parts of the building in any
emergency condition (Singh and et.al., 2020). They fully understand and have complete idea
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about the path which is the quickest option to exit the building from the meeting rooms over the
first floor if there is a fire or any emergency situation arises at reception area.
Moreover, there are various exits available at each shop and back door as well which is
located into the corridor and out through the emergency exit door. All such ways are straight
ahead and highly equipped easily by disabled people as well. At the time of taking audit of the
Chadstone shopping centres it has been evaluated that the emergency exits are convenient for
both the wheelchair and crutch users and not challenging for them to move around in any
emergency condition. Moreover, the warnings signs are recommended to be placed at
appropriate locations and must warn of either a hazard or of a destination It should be installed at
certain areas of the building. The directional indicators must be utilized in order to direct the
users from one point to another along a safe path of travel. For the people having hearing
impaired issue generally do not have to face many challenges or problems in order to access
most of the facilities at the Chadstone shopping centre (Jackson, 2018). The only shortcoming
that needs to be highlighted into the emergency exits were identified that to have more proper
signage that would enable all gentry to move around even without the assistance of staff
members of the shopping centre.
Important safety issues
The safety issues are the ones which makes any building successful or even unsuccessful
with lack of safety measures. It includes encouraging people with disabilities to make themselves
understand or aware that if their impairment could compromise their response towards a fire
alarm. In public building like Chadstone shopping centre must have an emergency exit plan that
is highly important to be drawn up for all the people who are coming over there so that they can
be easily able to access that and make their ways on their own in any adverse conditions.
Although the written and practised procedure over the ways to locate and assist people with
disabilities but the pictorial representation is missing among the Chadstone shopping centre. In
order to improve the safety measure into more detailed context, the fire wardens must be
appointed to locate people who might not become alerted due to even alarm and also in order to
check toilets, stores and any other areas where there may not be any visual or audio alarms
available (Gamache and et.al., 2019). The emergency exit plan has been prepared by the

management of the shopping centre in order to make sure or fulfil all the safety and security
aspects of the shopping centre.
The plan involves the staff members, contract staff as well as their regular visitors with
disabilities. The plan should be highly specific than the general plans of the building as it
involves the security measures of the building which is required at the emergency situations. The
staff members should be trained enough to provide effective guidance to the users and specially
the disabled people to move away or out of the places at any emergency situation. Furthermore,
the fire drills should also being practised on regular basis and also involve people having
disability in order to evaluate the appropriate requirements of the people who are physically
challenged. Although the Chadstone shopping centre management is highly taken about the
things to use fire alarms into combined format which involves the audio and visual two stage
system that must also become free from any obstructions. The staff members of the shopping
centre are extremely trained enough in the safe transportation of people into wheelchair in an
exigency condition (Townsend and et.al., 2022). However, it has been recommended to the
shopping centre that they have to set up a buddy system so that it can be guaranteed that one
person per disable people who is trained among the staff is on site at all times.
CONCLUSION
From the above report it has been concluded that the accessibility of any public place
whether it is a shopping centre or any other place should be very significant for the disables users
as they are the ones who require appropriate assistance at all times while staying and roaming
over there. In context of Chadstone shopping centre, it has been identified that it is quite good
and maintain the level of accessibility within their shopping centre. From the whole access audit,
it has been evaluated that the company is highly able to fulfil the requirements of the disables
people in order to make the place accessible for everybody. The Chadstone shopping centre
appropriately follows the legislations of the Australia.
Moreover, the management part of the building is also wonderful enough to deal with
disability as according to the National disability authority, it has been identified that good
management can improve the accessibility of the even a badly designed building. Thus, the
centre is highly equipped with all the necessary equipments, although they require certain
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modifications which involves certain alterations into the signage areas of the shopping centre
along with setting up a buddy system into their functioning.

REFERENCES
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Gamache, S. and et.al., 2019. Mapping review of accessible pedestrian infrastructures for
individuals with physical disabilities. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive
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Jackson, M.A., 2018. Models of disability and human rights: Informing the improvement of built
environment accessibility for people with disability at neighborhood scale?. Laws, 7(1),
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Jayus, R. and Khan, A., 2019. Coping Strategies and Challenges among Visual Impaired
Students. Indian Journal of Public Health Research & Development. 10(6).
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Mayordomo-Martínez, D. and et.al 2019. Sustainable accessibility: a mobile app for helping
people with disabilities to search accessible shops. International journal of environmental
research and public health. 16(4). p.620.
McGregor-Lowndes, M. and Crittall, M., 2019. An examination of tax-deductible donations
made by individual Australian taxpayers in 2016-17.
McKerrow, N. and et.al., 2019. Building a workforce for a child-and family-centred health
service. Child and adolescent health, p.200.
Owusu-Ansah, J.K., Baisie, A. and Oduro-Ofori, E., 2019. The mobility impaired and the built
environment in Kumasi: structural obstacles and individual
experiences. GeoJournal. 84(4). pp.1003-1020.
Singh, R. and et.al., 2020. Compliance of accessibility in tourism websites: a pledge towards
disability. Journal of Hospitality and Tourism Insights.
Townsend, R.C. and et.al., 2022. Infusing disability into coach education and development: a
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