There are
few things that can get a church committee more ruffled more than issues around
seating Especially pews.
So, I will
begin with said pews. I have to admit that I was very much against having them
in our churches, both as a user and disability advisor. But over the past
couple of years I have been told by several users of pews who were either
disabled, or elderly, that the pews are; “great to hold onto, and even pull oneself
up to a standing position”. I have therefore been wrong to ‘throw the baby out
with the bathwater’; thus, this post it is about making sure your seating is a
provision for ‘everyone’ including disabled people.[i]
However, as I have previously there had to be careful use of pews noting the
needs of disabled people. Disability can come in many form, See my post
‘Provision Criteria and Practice’ (below).
Pews are on
the whole items installed into many of older churches, along with many more changes,
by the Victorians. As such older church committees wishing to remove pews with
find that the Victorian Society will oppose such changes (in the Church of
England the Faculty Jurisdiction Rules 2015[ii]
apply). This should not be seen as a nuisance, but rather a hurdle one needs to
take, but rather a thoughtful, and often helpful, process behind the changes
proposed.
What do we
want and need from our seating?
1. Well as mentioned stability for
people who need something to hold onto to. But do please note, never fall into
the trap of regarding a person’s ‘walking stick’ as something they should use
to get up. The clue is in the name ‘walking’ stick, or sticks, which are for
assisted walking. This applies also to walking frames.
2. The seating should give ample leg
space, especially when the attendees to a service or other function, may be sat
for a long time.
3. If moveable seating is used then the
seats should stackable in a safe way, and those stacking them should never have
to ‘drag’ them across the floor. This does not just create a safety risk for
the stacker[iii]
who may be a paid to do this role, or others persons not paid.[iv]
As well as harm the floor surface with scratches; buy may cause the floor to
become raised consequently creating a scenario where by a person with poor, or
no eyesight, and those with mobility impairment to trip.[v]
One should not miss the fact that under other legislation creating manual
handling roles should be avoided if possible, where this is not possible a full
risk assessment to decide on the safety way of undertaking the task.[vi]
4. The seating should allow a provision
to be added to raise the seat for people who do struggle to stand to have a
higher seat. For example, attachable/detachable cushions, and attachments for
raising the height of the legs. The Equality Act requires changes to be made to
accommodate disabled people,[vii]
5. Does your new, or planned, seating have
somewhere for Bibles and other literature to be stored during the service? If not
this can become a problem for many disabled people who have poor eyesight, or
difficulties created by mobility and dexterity problems. Not to mention the
trip risks created by such items laced on the floor.[viii]
6. If you look down at a seat is it clearly
demarcated from the floor below; or could the colours blend if you have dementia
of poor vision? If so then seating should stand out, and your choice of replacement
seating should account for this.
7. Have you a system in place to maintain
and clean all types of seating you have and use? If not, you should have one under
the Health and Safety at Work Act. The Act covers churches.[ix]
8. People with mobility issues may wish
to sit near the back of church, certainly in the churches I know everyone wants
to sit at the back. However, those with mobility needs may wish to sit were
that can come and go, should they need to, for example using the toilet. As
such we need to remember in God’s house no one has preferential (other than Bishops)
seating needs unless the above applies – so no saying to a new comer, ‘excuse
me that’s my seat’. Failures such as this, and other disability related issues
in this post may well give rise to a claim of Indirect Discrimination under the
Equality Act.[x]
9. Ensure you have in places a system where
by wheelchair users can place themselves next to relatives. That’s may mean
shortening rows, even pews – but do get the legal permission first.
I hope you
have found this short introduction in to Church seating helpful?
If you need
other information, or comments to share please email on fr.jeffreyleach@gmail.com
Cite this article as: Fr. Jeffrey
A.Leach.OSP, "Church Seating"
in Disabling Barriers
to Church Blog, 1st March 2017,
http://disablingbarrierstochurch.blogspot.co.uk/
[i] Section 6 Equality Act 2010 (Ch.15)
[ii] No.2015 1568
[iii] Health and Safety at Work act 1974 (Ch.50) Section 2
for anyone paid by the church for such tasks.
[vi] Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, section
4. (SI.1992 2793)
[vii] Section 20-22 Equality Act 2010
[viii] Section 5 of the Workplace (Health, Safety and
Welfare) Regulation 1992 (SI.1992 3004)
[ix] Section 3 The Management of Health and Safety at Work
Regulations 1999 SI.1999 3242)
[x] Section 19 Equality Act 2010 (Ch.15)
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