Reasonable Adjustments
I am expected to make ‘reasonable
adjustments’ to these physical features but what is ‘reasonable’?
There is no definitive answer. The law uses this phrase to give some flexibility
and allow different solutions in different situations. However, the Code
of Practice advises that ‘reasonable’ may vary according to
the
- Type of services provided
- Nature of the service provider and its size and resources
- Effect of the disability on the individual disabled person
Some factors when considering what is reasonable are:
- Whether taking particular steps would be effective in solving the problem
- The extent to which it’s practicable for the service provider to take the the steps
- Financial and other costs of making the adjustment
- The amount of disruption caused by taking the steps
- Money already spent on making adjustments
- The availability of financial or other assistance
How should I deal with a physical feature that is making it difficult
for disabled people to use my service?
The first thing is not to be daunted. There is lots of help available and
you are in a good position to equip yourself with information and then
make your own decision. The most important thing is not to wait until a
disabled person cannot use your service. You are expected to anticipate
the reasonable adjustments you may need to make and plan ahead. Even though
the section of the Act about physical features doesn’t come into
force until 2004 it makes sense to plan for them now.
Examples Of Reasonable Adjustments
The type of “Reasonable Adjustments” depend on the type of
business or service that you provide, and the layout/location of your business.
Some examples are;
Intercoms;
If your business is serviced by a set of stairs Then an intercom positioned
at waist height could be needed so wheelchair users can summon assistance.
Ramps; If there is a step on entry to your business or a ste p
to gain access to other areas then a permanent or portable ramp is required.
Braille/Large
print; If your business provides information in text i.e. Menus,
brochures, finance or business contracts, or information on products and
services, then you must have the ability to provide this in different formats,
such as Braille, large print or audio if requested by someone who is visually
impaired.
Shop design; It could be that by just simply
re-arranging your shop layout, and providing some disability friendly signage
is all
that’s
needed.
Fire
Safety; With many businesses making it easier for disabled
people to enter their business, thought also has to be given on how disabled
people can be evacuated in an emergency. With lifts becoming unusable in
a fire situation, providing an evacuation chair not only makes it easier
to evacuate a wheelchair user down stairs, it also helps the elderly or
infirm who can find it difficult or distressing when having to descend
a large amount of stairs quickly.
These are just some basic examples and the list is by no means exhaustive, however there are a lot of changes or adjustments that can be done with very little cost or fuss. The most important thing is to get it right, as some adjustments can create more of a problem instead of solving one.
Changing a Physical Feature
How you do this depends on your situation but the Disability Rights Commision
recommends having an access audit done to highlight where the real barriers
are. Access audits are detailed inspections and reports on buildings
undertaken by an experienced access auditor which highlight the barriers
for disabled people and offer practical solutions. Armed with this information
you can take control of the situation and plan changes that will really
be effective for disabled people and other customers.
Once you know which physical features may make it difficult for disabled
people to use your service then the law gives you a choice. You can remove
that feature, alter it, find a way of avoiding it or provide the service
another way.
The DRC strongly recommends that you consider removing the physical feature
or altering it. This is often the safest option because it is the most
likely to make the service accessible. It means that disabled people
receive the services in the same way as other customers. This is called
an ‘inclusive’ approach. Removing or altering physical features
does not always have to be expensive. For example, the way that display
units are set out in a shop may make it difficult for disabled people
to use the service. Simply rearranging the display units may make a tremendous
difference. Improvements to the lighting could also make the service
more accessible. This could be done immediately or when you are refurbishing
that area.