The accessibility audit of a building open to the public

Before improving the accessibility of a building, you first need to know precisely its strengths and its obstacles. That is the purpose of the accessibility audit: a methodical survey, from parking to reception, that serves as the basis for any compliance work.

What the audit assesses

The audit follows the user's chain of movement: the reserved parking space, the outdoor route to the entrance, the entrance itself, reception, indoor circulation, the toilets and the services. Every link counts: a single blocking point makes the whole thing inaccessible.

The most common obstacles

• a step-up that is too high or an isolated step at the entrance;
• a door too narrow or too heavy to open;
• the lack of a reserved parking space nearby;
• an unsuitable reception desk or inadequate signage.

From audit to compliance

The audit is only worthwhile if it leads to a prioritised action plan. Some obstacles can be removed at once, others call for works. What matters is tracking progress over time and keeping a record of what has been fixed, to demonstrate a continuous approach.

Data that dates quickly

An audit filed away in a binder ages from the first works. Without updates, you start from scratch at every deadline. Living data, attached to each point of the building, avoids this waste and turns the audit into a management tool.

Who carries out the audit

An accessibility audit can be run in-house by a trained officer, or entrusted to a specialist consultancy for complex cases. What matters is not so much the provider as the method: actually walking the chain of movement, measuring rather than estimating, and recording each finding with its precise location. An audit run from a desk, on plans, misses the everyday obstacles: a damaged surface, a display stand that narrows a passage, a door that has become too stiff. It is the on-site survey, repeated over time, that gives the audit its value.

Prioritise by use and by cost

Not all obstacles carry the same weight. A defect at the main entrance of a school matters more than a detail in a rarely used room. Prioritisation therefore crosses two criteria: the real hindrance to users and the cost of the fix. Some compliance measures cost almost nothing, such as moving a display stand or adding signage; others require heavy works. Tackling high-impact, low-cost obstacles first lets you progress quickly and visibly.

Keep a record of the corrections

An accessibility approach is judged over time. Documenting each correction, with its date and a before/after photo, shows continuous progress and protects you in the event of an inspection or complaint. This history also avoids reworking a point already fixed and serves as a memory when teams change.

The role of reception staff

No fitting-out replaces attentive reception. A portable ramp brought out on request, a priority till, help reading a document: trained staff make up for many situations. The audit must therefore include the human dimension, checking that officers know the available arrangements and know how to welcome the different forms of disability. This dimension, often absent from purely technical surveys, makes the difference for the user.

Map your accessibility with KARTES

KARTES locates every accessibility point on a map, with its condition, its non-conformities and the associated works. The survey is done in the field, photo in hand, even offline. You track the progress of compliance building by building and keep a dated history, useful for the register and for inspections alike.

Key points

• The audit follows the whole chain of movement, from parking to reception.
• A single blocking point is enough to make a building inaccessible.
• It must lead to an action plan tracked over time.
• Living mapping avoids redoing the audit from scratch.