WISA
A disability is defined by the environment Does our water and sanitation workplace cater for people with disabilities? Mark Bannister, a recipient of WISA’s 2021 Senior Fellow Award and chief engineer: Water Services Planning and Information at the Department of Water and Sanitation, talks to WASA.
W
ith a career spanning over three decades and a lifetime spent in a wheelchair, Mark Bannister has a unique perspective on the inclusivity of water and sanitation operations. “In terms of infrastructure planning, issues regarding disability and inclusive access are often an afterthought.” He points out that it is easier and
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NOV /DE C 2021
Mark Bannister and the Malundjawele Water Committee
less costly to include better access for people with disabilities in the planning and design of infrastructure rather than retrofit at a later stage. “All water and sanitation treatment plants should have wheelchair access and appropriate toilets to encourage the employment of people with disabilities. This provides for temporary
disabilities in the workplace such as a broken leg, and for visitors with a disability. In many instances, physical barriers to access – such as steps, stairs and inaccessible toilets – should not even be there. Inclusive planning from the beginning will maximise accessibility using ramps for entry to buildings, appropriate toilets and
