Are you confident about your premises when it comes to the current disability guidelines? Do you think that your disabled employees, job applicants and the public are being considered when it comes to the facilities you provide? There are many businesses out there that discriminate against disabled people simply because of a lack of forethought. With some care and attention to detail it is possible to bring your property up to the current expected standards.
By using an access audit and making the necessary improvements you will be doing yourself a great favour. By leaving things as they are you could open yourself up to legal action. This could result in a damaged reputation, disappointed individuals and large costs for you and the company. No one wants this kind of pressure so addressing the issues is a must.
Think about everyone who may enter your property
As a small business owner myself I recognise the need to think of my employees and all those who enter my property. While you may not have a disabled person working in your team right now it is important to provide the same opportunities to everyone that may apply to work with you in the future. It’s not acceptable to refuse to employ the ideal candidate simply because they are unable to get around your building. You need to consider how the layout and design of your premises could be discriminating against others and start taking steps to sort out all the issues.
In this economic climate your customers are more important than ever. By limiting the numbers of people who can enter your premises you are doing yourself an injustice. You’re basically slamming the door in the faces of potentially loyal customers who want nothing more than to part ways with their money to use your facilities, services or products. Yet because they cannot get inside with ease, or explore the whole area they are turned away and left out in the cold. They take their money elsewhere, to a company who cares about them. The unhappy customers also talk about your company to others, leaving a lasting impression with those who are told about the poor service and inconsiderate design.
All of these issues can be avoided with ease. The first step is to ask for a DDA audit, an examination of the current property which is survey against the disability guidelines to spot errors. The survey is not only about pointing out flaws, it will highlight what you do right and point you in the right direction concerning appropriate action and the improvements that are required to ensure you’re not discriminating.
What might show in an audit?
There is no need to think that an audit will result in thousands of pounds worth of needed improvements. There is a good chance that your property is suitable for everyone. You might only need to make a couple of improvements such as adding tactile signs or lowering a table here and there. The audit might show up problems with crowded walkways such as boxes in the way or a stubborn door which is difficult to open. All of these problems can be easily fixed without much investment. Other problems that might be highlighted include:
- Small doors that are difficult to get through in a wheel chair
- Slippery slopes
- Steps without any other access routes
If you are planning to make changes to your property remember an audit can help to make sure you will be in compliance with the law. Consider the needs of everyone and make changes that will create welcoming and easy accessible premises that will be of benefit to your company.
Aki Hashimoto writes for DDA Audit consultants, working to improve businesses to ensure they comply with the Equality Act.
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