Part
Three of the Disability Discrimination Act (the DDA)
covers the provision of goods, facilities and services,
and means that for anyone providing a service to the
public it is now illegal to:
- refuse
to serve a disabled person because of their disability
- offer
a below standard service to a disabled person
- provide
a service on different terms
Service
providers can be defined as anyone providing a service
directly to the public, and they are required to make
reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people
can use their services easily. This definitely includes
providing accessible signage, which is a vital element
of gaining access to those services.
Reasonable
adjustments can be:
- changes
to policies, practices and procedures
- provision
of auxiliary aids and services
- making
the service more accessible by another means
- making
the premises more accessible
The
first three of these obligations became law in October
1999, and the last one in 2004. In practical effect,
all signage falls under the provisions of the Act, either
now or in the near future; however it is highly recommend
that service providers consult an accessibilty consultant
to make certain their provisions are legal: we at Signs
Now can recommend consultants in your area: please contact
us for more information.
Well
designed and installed signage will mean that anyone
with a disability from visual impairments, hearing impairments,
learning difficulties and physical disabilities can
access your services more effectively - which after
all is not just the law, but sound business sense.
Return
to the main Signs Now safety and tactile signs page
or also see:
Also see our gallery of photos
of safety and tactile signs.
Signs
Now is a leading maker of tactile and braille signs,
and we are here to help throughout the process of specifying
and installing braille, tactile and safety signs. Please
do not hesitate to contact
us for any help you might need in making sure your
workplace complies with the Disability Discrimination
act.
We
have a copy of the Signs
Now tactile and braille signs catalogue available for
free download - and also see our gallery
of photos of safety and tactile signs.
|
