Disability Rights - Are you able to comply?
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 offers
increased protection for the UK's 10 million disabled people. Despite
a large part of the rules are already being law, many companies still
need to make changes throughout 2006 as they rush to become compliant
while also preparing for the next deadline of December 2006, comments
Gary Smith of Hinckley based lifts and escalator providers, LTR.
Part III of the disability discrimination Act (DDA)
has huge implications for many UK businesses and Local Authorities as
those considered 'service providers' are required to have made reasonable
changes to their premises in order provide disabled access. For many
this involves in installing lifts and escalators.
While it can be seen as time consuming and expensive
to install disabled access into premises that were not designed with
disability issues in mind, it’s essential to make the changes now
as under the current rules individuals can claim against a business if
they place then at a disadvantage because of their disability.
In order to keep cost to a minimum, it is important
that the right type of access is chosen for each individual organisation.
Many companies make the mistake of assuming a ramp is the best option
but this is not always the case.
Regulations require that the gradient of disabled access
ramps is no greater than 1 in 12. This means that they take up a large
amount of space, therefore a lift can be the ideal choice.
Lifts can also be a preferable option for residential
landlords who have until December 2006 to carry out or approve changes
to their properties in order to accommodate disabled tenants.
In December a raft of changes will include new responsibilities.
Among other provisions being introduced is a duty that requires landlords
to make reasonable adjustments and to ensure landlords cannot unreasonably
withhold consent for a disability-related improvement to certain types
of rented accommodation - a change that should make it easier for disabled
people to rent property, and for tenants to make disability related adaptations
The government plans that by 2025 disabled people in
Britain should have full opportunities and choices to improve their quality
of life, and will be respected and included as equal. The changes due
to be introduced in December with regard to property are just one small
past of this huge task. However the fact that disabled people are more
likely to live in unsuitable housing than their non-disabled counterparts
clearly demonstrates the need to target the private housing sector as
soon as possible.
The Disability Discrimination Act 2005 act builds on
and extends the rights of disabled people contained in the original 1995
Act. The first set of new duties under the 2005 came into effect on December
5. A further set of duties will be introduced in December 2006.
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