The Israeli Standards Institute held a conference dealing with the accessibility of play facilities for children with disabilities
The accessibility of play facilities throughout the country for children with disabilities was the focus of a conference held at the Standards Institute on July 28, 2010.
On Wednesday, July 28, 2010, the Israeli Standards Institute held a conference regarding the revision of Israeli Standard 1498 , Part 8: Playground facilities.
The purpose of the conference was to present the main points of the revision and how to implement the standard. The conference was accompanied by lectures by Helen Atarot, director of the standardization department at the Standards Institute, attorneys Yehuda Miron and Shmuel Chaimovich from the Equality Commission for Persons with Disabilities at the Ministry of Justice, Tal Kahana, head of playground facilities at the Standards Institute, and Adi Noi, social manager at the Australian Soldier Park in Be’er Sheva. The conference was moderated by Haim Gurevich from the Standards Institute.
As part of a trend that is gaining momentum among the general public, the Israeli Standards Institute promotes standardization concerning people with disabilities . As part of this activity, the Standards Institute revised Israeli Standard 1498, Part 8: Play Facilities , so that the standard also addresses children with disabilities .
Israeli Standard 1498 : Playground equipment is an adoption of a European standard that includes eight parts, including general safety requirements and a guide to installation and maintenance. Due to the importance of the standard and the sensitivity to the safety of children, the standard, in all its parts, was declared an official standard.
The purpose of the revision in standard 1498 is to regulate the accessibility of the gaming site and the laying of the physical infrastructure for the integration of children with disabilities in the company of children. As part of the revision, accessibility adjustments will be required that will allow a child with a disability to reach the entrances of the play facilities so that, in addition to enjoyment, at least some of the facilities will challenge the child and allow him to work independently and in accordance with his limitations.
More details can be seen on the website of the Israeli Standards Institute at: http://www.sii.org.il/44-2787-he/SII.aspx?pos=36
