Anthropometry of Wheeled Mobility Project: Final Report

3.3.3 Clear Floor Width

The findings on clear floor width are based on the findings on occupied width from anthropometric studies shown in Figure 3‒3. Neither the DfT or DETR studies collected data on occupied width but did measure the unoccupied device width. The authors argued that individuals can bring their arms and legs inboard when entering transportation vehicles and passing through doorways. We found, however, that many individuals do not have the physical ability to position their upper and lower extremities “inboard”. Moreover, in situations where an individual might remain stationery for a relatively long time, for example, at a concert or sporting event, it is unrealistic to assume that an individual would keep their upper and lower extremities in such a constraining position. The BS8300 research did not report occupied widths larger than 800 mm but the BS8300 standard, as we interpret it, requires an additional 100 mm (4 in.) more than that for the clear floor area width (900 mm). The BS8300 standard’s developers may have added 100 mm to provide additional maneuvering room at clear floor areas.

Due to recent revisions, the minimum required clear floor width standard in Australia and the U.K. now exceeds that in U.S. and Canada (Figure 3‒3). The U.K. standard accommodates the occupied widths of most everyone in all of the studies, except for a small sample of the largest widths measured in our study. Approximately 90% of manual wheelchair users, 85% of scooter users and 80% of powered chair users in our sample had occupied widths that were less than the U.S. clear floor width standard. Therefore, 10‒20% of individuals measured in our study have an occupied width that is greater than the U.S. standard of 760 mm (30 in.).

* Indicates data plotted in the graph.

Figure 3-3. Clear floor width (occupied width): research findings versus the standards.