What the law requires
The Disability Discrimination Act, which applies to all companies, states that small to medium sized businesses must make ‘reasonable adjustments’ to avoid discriminating against disabled customers and employees.
When deciding what constitutes a ‘reasonable adjustment’, the Department for Work and Pensions suggests considering: the type of business, its size and annual turnover; the cost of an adjustment; disruption while the adjustment is carried out; practicality of the adjustment; and the potential resulting benefits to disabled customers or employees.
The law is framed in this way so that businesses are not forced to make unreasonable changes. Ultimately, failure to make reasonable adjustments could result in legal action by disabled individuals who feel unfairly treated. In essence, the law requires you to be fair and do what is reasonable.
Why it’s important
Disabled customers who feel unfairly treated may not choose to take legal action, but they are unlikely to interact with your business again. Being unfair to a customer usually means losing a customer, so taking steps to provide access for all makes good business sense, and of course – it’s the right thing to do. An estimated 17 per cent of UK citizens have a disability, so it’s important to accommodate this sizeable customer group.
The sort of things you can do
Create accessible information… Use clear text and contrasting text and background colours; Be prepared to provide alternative versions of printed materials, such as braille, large print or audio; Have accessible telephone options such as textphone or typetalk; Audit your website and if necessary make it more accessible.
Ensure accessible premises… Fit a ramp or lift if you have steps or steep slopes; Install a bell or buzzer at entrances for customers to request assistance; Install visual as well as audible alarms; Ensure door handles are easy to reach and grip; Document the needs of regular visitors to provide correct assistance in the future.
Customer service… Offer an accessibility statement outlining what assistance you can offer; Train staff to give appropriate assistance, such as help for a wheelchair user, or reading aloud to a visually impaired person.
Employing people… Create flexible working arrangements, and accommodate the needs of disabled workers; Be prepared to provide job application forms in alternative formats; Hold interviews in accessible premises.
There are many other ‘reasonable’ steps you can take, some of which may be specific to certain industries. Seek expert guidance or conduct an accessibility audit if you are unsure about your specific obligations.
0 Response to “Accessibility”