DDA Regulations
Until the Disability Discrimination Act of 2004, only a single row of manifestation was legally required. To avoid wheelchair users colliding with clear glass, the Building Regulations Document M now stipulates two rows. Also, glass doors must have edge manifestation:
Access to and Use of Buildings (2004 edition) 2.24 Glass entrance doors and glazed screens will satisfy Requirement M1 or M2 if:
a) They are clearly defined with manifestation on the glass at two levels, 850 to 1000mm and 1400mm to 1600mm above the floor, contrasting visually with the background seen through the glass (both from inside and outside) in all lighting conditions.
b) Manifestation takes the form of a logo or sign at least 150mm high (repeated if on a glazed screen) or a decorative feature such as broken lines or continuous bands, at least 50mm high.
c) Glazed entrance doors, where adjacent to, or forming part of, a glazed screen are clearly differentiated from it by the provision of a high contrast strip at the top, and on both sides.
d) Glass entrance doors, where capable of being held open, are protected by guarding to prevent the leading edge constituting a hazard.
Basic
Styles
Quick to install and economical - we normally price simple manifestation on a per linear metre basis.
At its most basic, frosted vinyl manifestation consisting of simple rows of 50mm squares, circles or lines, satisfies DDA legal requirements.
Repeating horizontal bands are also popular and will afford a degree of privacy. Bands and space depths can be varied, often diminishing towards the top.
Company logos often work well repeated horizontally and when correctly sized and spaced will comply with the law.
DDA
vARIATIONS
Our graphics studio will be happy to offer advice on suitable design solutions. We work to exacting standards making sure complex panel sensitive designs fit accurately no matter how long the run.
The DDA regulations only specify the minimum area of glass that must have manifestation and many designers use the DDA zone to great effect. Geometric patterns such as line repeats, waves, and bar codes are popular choices and by varying the manifestation-to-clear-glass ratio, visibility or privacy can be controlled with considerable precision.
contrast
issues
We can visit your project and offer site specific advice to guide your choice of manifestation film and style.
Lighting and background colour are important factors to consider when choosing film for manifestation. The manifestation must stand out visually from the background environment. In situations where the level of illumination on either side of the glass is more or less equal, film colour, transparency and tone are crucial. In most buildings lighting levels will obviously vary through the day, and this must be taken into account.
In general darker environments will require lighter film, and vice versa. Where direct sunlight falls on glass, glare can render the frosted films almost invisible, and using a solid film may be the best choice. In internal spaces where light is softer and more diffused, frosted vinyls may be used with greater confidence.
