Singapore – From Jan 6 next year, new buildings or buildings undergoing large-scale renovations will have to ensure that they fulfil new accessibility regulations.
These include building more spacious changing rooms and toilets for the convenience of the elderly, their caregivers and persons with disabilities to give them a more accessible and convenient living environment.
The new regulations are part of an update made on July 5 by the Building and Construction Authority to its Code on Accessibility in the Built Environment.
Two key changes will be implemented. The first is a requirement for accessible changing rooms for adults with disability or seniors who need caregivers to help change them. There was no such provision previously.
Second, buildings will be required to provide larger accessible toilets on every floor so that motorised wheelchairs can manoeuvre.
These apply to buildings such as healthcare facilities, key transport nodes such as interchanges and larger shopping malls, as well as learning institutions.
In a Facebook post on Wednesday night, Minister for Social and Family Development Desmond Lee said the new regulations were made with the needs of the elderly and the disabled in mind.
“Singapore is a lot more accessible today than before, but a lot more needs to be done,” he said.
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