Projects

Wellington Schools

If you’re an Architect or Property Manager working on a Ministry of Education project, ensure you’ve done your homework on the needs of the children attending the school before specifying your products.

Education and safety for kiwi kids is a huge priority for CMT Group. That’s why our Total Tactilez team has been busy at work helping to make our schools safer. Sales Director Jayden Faulkner says “We’ve been tasked with providing tactile solutions for several schools around the country, especially within the Wellington region. Keeping our children safe is every parent’s priority and we’re helping reduce injuries with our anti-slip solutions.”

When we see the Occupational Therapist and Property Managers working with the Architect, we know the right products will be selected. However, a variety of factors such as budget and longevity of the project means safety is sometimes sacrificed. “We’ve seen some cases of paint being used on stairs but that really doesn’t offer the full level of safety and longevity that a stair nosing can” says Total Tactilez Territory Manager Dale Faulkner.

Here are some case studies from recent school projects we’ve completed so you can see that safety can be achieved with a variety of budgets, styles, and timeframes.

Case study 1:

Hutt Intermediate school in Lower Hutt is one of many schools who have recently had new visual cues installed. This refurbished school had a compliant design which meant the tactiles and stairnosing were specified by architect Jo McColgan at Design It Kapiti from the start.

We installed polyurethane tactile indicators to highlight hazards and indicate designated safe routes and access for visually impaired users. We also helped install stair nosing’s to reduce slips and trips on stairs, and to help highlight the edges of the steps.

Case study 2:

Waikanae school in Waikanae also had some safety adjustments implemented. Starting with the installation of our stair nosing’s (specifically GKR017 & TKR016). These nosing and strips are perfect for the wear and tear of kids, made from a non-slip fibreglass designed to last. We also upgraded many of their walkways with a bunch of anti-slip strips, and in fact the yellow strips are getting swapped for black to meet the school’s specific needs, turning slippery ramps into safe walkways.

Case study 3:

Konini Primary School in Wainuiomata, Lower Hutt, is another example of a school that has benefited from new non-slip materials. The school has been kitted out with stair nosing’s (DKR103) that feature carborundum inserts which provide the highest anti-slip rating for ultimate safety and visibility for outdoor stairs. The school also just underwent the installation of adjustable threshold ramps to help create seamless entrances for buildings that are wheelchair friendly.

Total Tactiles Territory Manager Dale Faulkner says, “It’s been a privilege to undertake visual improvements at a number of schools in the Greater Wellington region. We’ve been involved in both contractor and sub-contractor capacity, to improve the usability and accessibility for all users, and in particular those that are visually impaired. Being able to understand and help reduce the challenges that face people with these difficulties is very rewarding.”

Are you looking for tactile solutions to help with your safety needs? Why not check out our Total Tactiles range to learn more:

https://www.totaltactilez.co.nz/