In an effort to create accessible, barrier-free environments, the City of London in Ontario...
In an effort to create accessible, barrier-free environments, the City of London in Ontario released Facility Accessibility Design Standards in 2007. Since their release, more than 50 municipalities in Canada and the United States have adopted these standards.
A key design requirement outlined in the standards prohibits objects from protruding more than 4 inches into pedestrian areas, such as walkways, halls or aisles. An object protruding from the wall above the detection range of a cane is dangerous for persons with visual impairment or for a pedestrian distracted by a conversation. The Oval Fire Extinguisher, available through OSG, is the only extinguisher on the market meeting protruding objects accessibility design standards.
“Creating pathways free from protruding objects is important for everyone. Unfortunately, most fire extinguishers create a barrier,” says Sadie McCann, marketing manager for OSG in London, Ont. “That’s where the Oval Fire Extinguisher comes in. It has been specifically designed to have a flatter profile, so it doesn’t extend beyond 4 inches.”
Additionally, the button hook design allows the extinguisher to swivel nearly 90 degrees in either direction without falling, reducing the likelihood of the extinguisher being accidentally knocked off the wall and causing injury.
This write-up originally appeared in the February/March 2019 issue of COS.
