Disability Discrimination Act. 1995 - It effects you!
The DDA was introduced to ensure that service providers and employers do not unreasonably discriminate against disabled people. Since October 2004 it includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments to any physical feature of the premise that could prevent people accessing goods and services.

The Disability Discrimination Act provides for duties in two key areas; employment and the provision of goods and services.

DDA Part II Employment
It is unlawful for an employer to discriminate against a disabled person:

• In the recruitment process
• With regard to existing employees

and also includes a duty to make reasonable adjustments to any physical feature of the premises.

DDA Part III Goods and Services
Section 21 outlines a duty for the service provider to make adjustments where a physical feature (for example, one arising from the design of access to a premise.) makes it impossible or unreasonably difficult for disabled persons to make use of such a service. Those adjustments may be to:

• Remove the feature
• Alter it so that it no longer has that effect
• Provide a reasonable means of avoiding the feature

These duties are not optional and can not wait until a complaint is made. You are breaking the law if you have not made any reasonable adjustments.

What should I do?
The Disability Rights Commission recommends that employers and service providers identify any adjustments and alterations needed to make a building accesssible and any management procedures that could help your business meet its legal duties. To best achieve this the commission recommends an Access Audit be undertaken.

Access Audits
This is the first step to ensureing you are not faced with a civil proceeding against you. It will not only identify areas for alteration but ensure that changes are planned, prioritised and co-ordinated.

It may highlight a management solution as the best way to improve access to a service. It may be more useful to make co-ordinated changes to a small number of buildings rather than piecemeal changes to all buildings.

Sevices
BlueKeep have undertaken Access Audits to a wide varity of premises. The audit could be a:

• Site survey of existing premises
• Desk top survey of proposed buildings

You will receive a comprehensive report with recommendations that have been prioritiesed.

Nowhere to run and hide
The statutory body overseeing implementation of the the ACT is the Disability Rights Commission and it has stated “there will be no where to run and no where to hide for businesses that have not made or planned improvments.”

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