Accessing a business premises or workplace is more than just being able to get in the door. Once in, a person must be able to use all the facilities, including bathrooms, toilets and kitchen or tearoom areas.
For people with disability, consideration must also be given to the accessibility of the workplace driveway, location of parking facilities in relation to the building, pathways, building signage and availability of accessible walkways.
Workplace solutions and adjustments
Being able to get to and from work is the first step in accessing the workplace. A number of transport options are available and include:
Modifications to toilet and kitchen areas can be made to make them more accessible to people with disability. This could include widening doorways to allow a wheelchair to pass through, adjusting toilet or bench heights, installation of rails for increased safety or transfer assistance, tap modifications for easier operation, removal of small steps between rooms or installation of ramps. See links below for more information on modifications to toilet and kitchen areas:
Stairs can be difficult for people with physical disability to use, so many buildings install ramps, elevators, stair lifts and chair lifts to help people get from one floor to the next. Available supports include:
If you are employing a person who uses a service animal, you should make sure that the animal can access the area and that there are facilities available for the animal, including fresh drinking water.
More information about reasonable adjustments for people with disability can be found at the following link:
Access auditors and consultants can also be consulted for specific disability access advice in your workplace. More information about Access auditors and consultants can be found at the following link:
Where an individual with disability requires building modifications or equipment that enable them to carry out their work they may be eligible to apply for funding assistance through the Employment Assistance Fund:
As well as being able to access the premises it is also important that procedures are put in place to allow safe exit of the premises during an emergency. More information on access to premises and evacuation procedures is available at the following link:
References:
Association for the Blind of WA 2010, Accessibility, Association for the Blind of WA, Perth, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.guidedogswa.com.au/about-vision-loss/accessibility/.
Australian Human Rights Commission 2008, Access to buildings and services: Guidelines and information, Australian Human Rights Commission, Sydney, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.hreoc.gov.au/disability_rights/buildings/guidelines.htm.
Australian Human Rights Commission 2008, The good, the bad and the ugly: Design and construction for access, Australian Human Rights Commission, Sydney, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.humanrights.gov.au/disability_rights/buildings/good.htm.
Spinal Cord Injuries Australia 2005, How do I resolve an access problem to a business or public building?, Sydney, viewed 12 May 2010, http://scia.org.au/access.
VicRoads 2005, Disabled Persons Parking Schemes in Australia, VicRoads, Melbourne, viewed 12 May 2010, http://www.app.org.au/downloads/vicroads.pdf.