Application
This unit of competency specifies the outcomes required to inspect the design of urban streetscapes in order to assess their accessibility for people with disabilities. The assessment process involves interpreting and implementing the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and other applicable state and territory legislation where it exists, including traffic engineering legislation, codes and standards. The unit requires communicating with traffic engineers and local government personnel regarding access compliance requirements.
The unit supports access audits of streetscapes, including assessing the accessibility of existing precincts or precinct upgrades. It applies to access consultants working alone or as a member of a team to complete streetscape access audits on behalf of clients, who may be developers or local government personnel.
No licensing, legislative, regulatory, or certification requirements apply to this unit of competency at the time of endorsement.
Elements and Performance Criteria
Elements describe the essential outcomes. | Performance criteria describe the performance needed to demonstrate achievement of the element. Where bold italicised text is used, further information is detailed in the range of conditions. | ||
1. | Respond to client inquiry regarding streetscape access audit. | 1.1. | Client requesting access audit of streetscape is identified and their authority to act is established according to organisational requirements. |
1.2. | Client requirements are discussed, clarified and confirmed according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.3. | Own competence and organisational capability to respond to client needs are determined and assessed. | ||
1.4. | Client brief for audit and authority to proceed are negotiated with client and documented according to organisational requirements. | ||
1.5. | Contractual arrangements for audit are negotiated, confirmed, documented and stored according to client, organisational and legislative requirements. | ||
2. | Prepare for access audit. | 2.1. | Copies of documentation required for audit are obtained. |
2.2. | Streetscape access arrangements are negotiated and contact person is identified according to client and organisational requirements. | ||
2.3. | Access audit checklist suited to scale of task and site is prepared. | ||
2.4. | Required audit personnel are sourced and briefed. | ||
2.5. | Required tools and equipment are identified, sourced and checked for serviceability in line with manufacturer specifications. | ||
3. | Conduct access audit. | 3.1. | Streetscape is accessed according to agreed access arrangements and following work health and safety (WHS) procedures. |
3.2. | Extent to which streetscape complies with requirements for access for people with disabilities is determined using access audit checklist criteria. | ||
3.3. | Aspects of streetscape that do not meet minimum requirements of audit checklist or comply with access requirements of legislation are determined. | ||
3.4. | Strategies that address areas of access non-compliance are developed, including strategies for alternative means of providing full access for users. | ||
4. | Finalise access audit report. | 4.1. | Draft access audit report for client that satisfies contractual arrangements is prepared according to organisational requirements. |
4.2. | Feedback on draft report is sought and incorporated according to organisational requirements, and report is completed. | ||
4.3. | Access audit report and associated documentation are forwarded to client according to organisational requirements and contractual arrangements. | ||
4.4. | Audit report follow-up with client is provided as required and according to organisational requirements and contractual arrangements. | ||
4.5. | Copy of access audit report and associated documentation is retained according to organisational and legislative requirements. | ||
Evidence of Performance
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must satisfy the requirements of the elements, performance criteria, foundation skills and range of conditions of this unit.
The person must also:
conduct an access audit of the following two different urban streetscapes to determine their compliance with accessibility requirements:
one existing streetscape
one streetscape upgrade
develop and apply an access audit checklist for each streetscape, detailing streetscape-specific criteria for consideration in audit
provide a report relating to each of the above audits, that:
describes streetscape accessibility, with clear links to the streetscape-specific audit checklist criteria
interprets the impact of the full range of disabilities and the limitations that each disability places on the individual’s ability to access the environment
advises on streetscape compliance with legislative requirements and usability by people with disabilities, in particular:
suitability of provision of on-street car parking and reserved disability parking
compliance of pedestrian footpaths throughout district with requirements of traffic engineering legislation
accessibility features in streetscape for people with mobility disabilities and their compliance with requirements of Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and required Australian standards
wayfinding elements in streetscape for people with vision impairment and their compliance with requirements of DDA and required Australian standards
fulfils contractual requirements with client
recommends, where required, corrective actions to:
enhance streetscape accessibility
overcome areas of access non-compliance, including strategies for alternative means of providing full access for users.
In conducting the above access audits, the person must:
use effective consultation skills with clients and other key stakeholders to confirm and elicit access audit information
read and interpret plans of streetscapes
interpret and apply legislative requirements relating to disability access, including those of traffic engineering legislation, and evaluate the provision of access in relation to those requirements
interpret how the full range of environmental barriers impacts on people with a range of disabilities and impairments
use research skills to source information that assists in developing potential solutions to the provision of adequate access
use measurement tools in line with manufacturer specifications and record collected data accurately
apply and adhere to site-specific work health and safety (WHS) requirements.
Evidence of Knowledge
A person demonstrating competency in this unit must demonstrate knowledge of:
key requirements of the following relating to determining accessibility of streetscapes and conducting streetscape access audits:
anti-discrimination legislation
Australian standards relating to streetscape accessibility
Austroads Guide to Traffic Management
DDA
DDA Transport Standards
traffic engineering codes, standards and legislation
disability awareness to inform streetscape audit, including:
range of disabilities to be considered when conducting streetscape audit
disability-specific physical barriers to accessing streetscape and its precincts
disability-specific minimum requirements for enhancing streetscape accessibility
organisational requirements relating to conducting streetscape access audits, including:
client service standards
procedures for developing streetscape-specific audit checklists
client privacy, confidentiality and security requirements
processes for recording collected audit data and administering records
procedures for writing and storing access audit reports
quality assurance requirements
limitations of own work role, responsibility and professional abilities with regard to above access audits
WHS procedures relating to streetscape access audits, including procedures for:
identifying hazards and controlling risks associated with conducting access audits
selecting and using personal protective equipment (PPE) required for above access audits.
Assessment Conditions
The following must be present and available to learners during assessment activities:
equipment:
PPE required for the streetscape access audits specified in the performance evidence
computer and software to access, retrieve, store and distribute audit-specific documentation
specifications:
Australian standards relating to streetscape accessibility
Austroads Guide to Traffic Management
DDA
DDA Transport Standards
manufacturer specifications relating to equipment required to conduct access audit
traffic engineering codes, standards and legislation
relationships, including consultation with:
diverse range of clients, including developers
regulatory authorities, including state, territory and local government representatives
traffic engineers
colleagues.
Timeframe:
in line with timeframe in audit contractual arrangements.
Assessor requirements
As a minimum, assessors must satisfy the assessor requirements in the Standards for Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) current at the time of assessment.
Foundation Skills
This section describes the language, literacy, numeracy and employment skills essential to performance in this unit but not explicit in the performance criteria. | |
Skill | Performance feature |
Learning skills to: | maintain knowledge of current codes, standards, regulations, practices and industry updates relating to streetscape access and traffic engineering matters. |
Numeracy skills to: | interpret and use ratios and scales to analyse size and space within streetscape precincts to determine adequate approach, reach and manipulation for those with mobility disabilities. |
Oral communication skills to: | facilitate discussion with clients to explore audit needs and proposed audit recommendations, demonstrating: command of language to convey information relating to the provision of access in a clear and accessible manner communication techniques suited to individual clients and required to clarify and elicit information convey knowledge and ideas through oral and visual means. |
Reading skills to: | read a range of complex texts and extract information relating to access requirements and specific streetscape audits identify and assess information in complex text, streetscape plans, traffic management guidelines, diagrams, graphs and charts to track compliance of streetscapes with accessibility requirements interpret building and transport terminology. |
Writing skills to: | write plain English audit reports that meet client requirements and detail accessibility audit outcomes that: are based on consultation with stakeholders and a detailed analysis of streetscape environmental and physical characteristics impacting on access represent and convey the needs of diverse disabilities and impairments. |
Digital literacy skills to: | apply information technology and computer skills when accessing and preparing audit support documentation and reports. |
Initiative and enterprise skills to: | use opportunities to facilitate change for greater disability access. |
Range Statement
This section specifies work environments and conditions that may affect performance. Essential operating conditions that may be present (depending on the work situation, needs of the candidate, accessibility of the item, and local industry and regional contexts) are included. Bold italicised wording, if used in the performance criteria, is detailed below. | |
Documentation required for audit must include: | manufacturer specifications relating to audit tools and equipment plans of streetscape district to be audited. |
Streetscape access arrangements must include: | access and egress points passes and security clearances timing of access WHS requirements, including required personal protective equipment (PPE). |
Access audit checklist must include: | access audit report form precinct map identifying streetscape and data sheet minimum requirements summary sheets for streetscape precincts for: accessibility features for people with mobility disabilities, including: kerb ramps and step ramps on-street car parking, reserved disability parking and passenger set-down zones accessibility features for people with vision impairment, including wayfinding elements such as: audible pedestrian operated signals (POS) tactile ground surface indicators (TGSIs) tactile street signs accessible pedestrian footpaths throughout district, including continuous accessible paths of travel bus and light rail stops historic preservation, where applicable pedestrian crossings, including: light-controlled crossings puffin crossings zebra crossings street furniture and vegetation street intersections technical requirements for access audit forms additional to above minimum requirements: automated teller machines drinking fountains signage stairs telephones. |
Required audit personnel must include at least one of the following: | identified audit contact developer traffic engineer local government personnel. |
Legislation must include: | Australian standards relating to streetscape accessibility Austroads Guide to Traffic Management DDA DDA Transport Standards state and territory traffic legislation, including traffic engineering legislation local government traffic regulations and by-laws. |
Access audit report must include: | advice on compliance with existing legislation and usability by people with disabilities description of accessibility where required by client brief, recommendations for corrective action. |
Sectors
Access consulting