Euan's Guide wants red cord cards placed in 50,000 toilets to make sure they remain safe for disabled people
A charity is highlighting the importance of why emergency cords in accessible toilets shouldn’t be tampered with.
Euan’s Guide – the charity used by disabled people to review, share and discover accessible places to visit – is marking the 30,000th request for its Red Cord Card initiative.
The cards were created in 2015 to educate the public and increase awareness around safety in accessible loos.
The charity has said that contrary to common perception, many public accessible toilets are used not only by disabled people, but by non-disabled people, parents with young children, staff members and cleaners. Not all members of the public fully understand the components of an accessible toilet and this lack of awareness can make accessible toilets dangerous for the disabled.
The most common problem appears to be the disregard for emergency alarms in accessible toilets, Euan’s Guide has said. Many toilets have been found with emergency cords that are tied up out of reach or cut short entirely.
The cards highlight that cords must hang freely all the way to the floor, to ensure that disabled people can reach them.
People have been quick to respond to the campaign and there are now 30,000 Red Cord Cards in accessible toilets around the UK. The charity is now calling on its supporters and members of the public to help release 50,000 Red Cord Cards to accessible toilets around the country to helpset the cords free.
Euan MacDonald, co-founder of Euan’s Guide, said: “We were overwhelmed by the initial response to our Red Cord Cards and never imagined they’d become as popular as they have. It makes me very happy to think that this small card has potentially improved the safety of tens of thousands of accessible toilets. I look forward to seeing where the 50,000th card ends up!”
Paul Ralph, founder of Disabled Access Day, said: “I’m certainly aware that many of the places and spaces who celebrate Disabled Access Day have come on board in the effort to raise awareness of the importance of alarm cords being the correct length, untied and easy to use. I encourage disabled people and their friends and families to get involved by placing cards in accessible loos as and when they can.”
Members of the public can request Red Cord Cards at no charge from the charity by visiting the Euan’s Guide website. Public places and businesses can also request Red Cord Cards for their premises in return for a small donation to the charity.
