Jenny Clark has co-owned a local building business for 38 years and describes the new Tradies Guide to Good Access as "brilliant".
Council produces the free pocket guide as a quick reference to Australian standards on accessibility that builders can keep in their toolkits or glove boxes.
Jenny, who has a staff of 65, said all her site supervisors would be given one and she'd place the Tradies Guide to Good Access in all her trucks.
"The booklet condenses the key, regular accessibility building issues we face and includes diagrams and measurements that spell out what our teams need to do simply and clearly," she said.
"It's great for our builders to be able to refer to it right there on the spot. A prime example of when it's useful is when we are doing work on shops in the Lismore CBD. The old buildings often don't meet the code in terms of accessibility, so it's great for our teams to have a reference they can look at right there and see what they can achieve in terms of improvements.
"Even within my own family, I am really aware of how important accessibility is. I have elderly family members who have been able to stay in their own homes longer because of accessibility improvements. It's allowed them to retain their independence and stay safe."
Council's Community Engagement Officer Catherine Rosenbaum will be promoting the new guide and handing out free copies at the next Master Builders Association meeting on 14 May in Ballina.
"We need access to be at the forefront of people's minds. This booklet takes all the complex regulations and puts them into one easy-to-understand resource. Having it to hand could be the difference between an okay build and a great build," Catherine said.
"We want to help builders easily interpret accessibility regulations so that they can better meet people's needs. Accessibility is important for so many people in our community – those living with a disability, pushing prams, young children, senior citizens and people who are injured."
Copies of the Tradies Guide to Good Access are available from Council's Corporate Centre at 43 Oliver Avenue, Goonellabah, and at Lismore and Goonellabah Libraries.
Copies can also be downloaded on our Accessibility page.
Image: Business owner Jenny Clark is encouraging all her tradespeople to carry and use the Tradies Guide to Good Access.
