Accessibility for disabled people in the workplace is extremely important. Since the Equality Act was passed, disabled people must be given the same rights to employment as their able-bodied counterparts. This means that an office setup or other workplace must be adapted to their needs. If you currently have no disabled members of staff you may think this does not apply to you. But it does. Take a trip to your local employment office and see for yourself how many of the employees there are that are in some way disabled. Maybe the person that attends to you is sitting in a wheelchair. Or there will have a specially adapted desk.
Accessibility for Disabled People : What you Need to Do
As an employer, you are required by law to give disabled people the same chance of as job offer as a non-disabled person. The government in the UK is constantly pushing for people to employ those with a physical or mental disability. So, how can you prepare yourself for having a new member of your team who uses a wheelchair or has mobility issues?
Accessibility for Disabled People : Wheelchair Ramps
If your office building is a public access building, then you will have been required by law to introduce a wheelchair ramp like the ones you find when you click here. If you do not have such a facility as you do not accept visitors, then it is time to make changes. Ramps are not just useful for people in wheelchairs. They are a godsend to people pushing buggies with small children. The wheelchair ramp that you introduce must be DDA compliant. What this means is that you should always contact your local mobility and disability experts about fitting a ramp.
Asides wheelchair ramps, access doors should be wide enough for wheelchairs, and wherever possible they should be automatic. A push button at a lowered level is the perfect solution for allowing disabled staff to enter and exit the building without having to ask for assistance. Once inside the building, any other steps should be accompanied with a ramp, with grab rails, and any loose carpets should be discarded. Your office building should be easy to maneuver around in a wheelchair. It should have a disabled bathroom, and kitchen facilities that are easy to use from a lower height.
Introducing a disabled member into your workforce is a moment you should be proud of. Disabled people in the UK are being integrated back into the workplace every day of the year. If your current set up is not adequate for a disabled person, then seek advice from your local Bristol disability and mobility experts. They will be able to tell you just what adaptations you need to make and how.
Work can be carried out with the minimum of disruption to your working day, and it will ensure that your building will become DDA compliant. If you are worried about the cost of preparing your workplace for disabled access, contact your local government and council offices for advice on grants available for work, and schemes that will allow you to become wheelchair-friendly without getting you and your business into debt.