A frozen register loses its meaning at the first alteration. Every set of works, every change of equipment or staff should be reflected in it. This is where most registers fall behind: put together once, they no longer follow the life of the establishment.
Who must keep it, and where to consult it
Responsibility for the register lies with the operator of the establishment. It must be available at the main reception point, on paper or digitally, and open to consultation by any user who asks, without any special procedure. In a local authority managing many public buildings, the duty multiplies: every school, community hall, sports hall or annex town hall must have its own. It is at this scale that upkeep becomes difficult without a tool, with one register per site and different contacts. Centralising the accessibility data of the whole estate, while producing the register specific to each establishment, prevents some sites from ending up non-compliant for lack of follow-up.
Paper or digital
The register may be kept on paper or in digital form, provided it stays open to public consultation. Paper has the advantage of simplicity for a small shop, but it gets lost, becomes outdated and is only updated by hand. For a local authority or a network of establishments, digital quickly wins out: it centralises the registers of every site, updates continuously and can be produced instantly during an inspection. Above all, it links each register to the real accessibility data from the field, rather than a frozen document written once and for all.
Register and accessibility certificate
The register does not replace the other obligations: it brings them together and makes them legible. Depending on the case, it holds the accessibility certificate for compliant establishments, or the works schedule for those bringing their site into compliance. Well kept, it becomes the single entry point to all the establishment's accessibility documents, which makes the relationship with the public and with the authorities simpler alike.
What you risk by neglecting the register
Beyond the administrative penalty incurred, the absence or obsolescence of the register sends a poor signal: that of an establishment that does not take welcoming everyone seriously. Conversely, a clear and up-to-date register reassures users, eases the relationship with disability associations and shows, in the event of an inspection or dispute, a serious and continuous approach. The register is as much a compliance tool as a marker of the quality of welcome.
Track your accessibility with KARTES
KARTES records every accessibility point of your estate as a geolocated record: entrances, routes, toilets and adapted facilities, with their condition and any works. You get an overview building by building, you track non-conformities and their corrections, and you produce up-to-date data to feed the register and answer an inspection.
Key points
- Public accessibility register mandatory for all establishments open to the public since 2017.
- It covers every type of disability, not only wheelchairs.
- It must stay up to date as works and changes happen.
- A geolocated inventory of accessibility points makes it easier to keep and to inspect.
