Be prepared for new disability laws

Oct 27 2003

With less than a year to go until the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) comes into force on 1 October 2004, the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) has launched an awareness campaign aimed at professional service providers.

According to a survey of small businesses in professional services (including finance, legal services, accountancy, advertising and computer services), more than three-quarters have no plans to make “reasonable adjustments” to give deaf or hard of hearing customers “equal access” to their services, as required by the DDA. Only 3% have already made the changes while 8% were completely unaware of the DDA.

By disregarding the Act, businesses leave themselves open to litigation by dissatisfied customers, as well as obviously alienating a significant number of prospective customers.

Under the DDA, from October 2004, “if it is impossible or unreasonably difficult for a disabled person to use their service, businesses will have to consider making physical changes to their building.”

The “reasonable adjustments” that may be called for include:

  • installing a permanent induction loop or other equipment

  • supplying a pen and paper to help ease communication

  • reducing background noise to help ease communication

  • training staff in deaf awareness

  • modifying a 'no dogs' policy to admit hearing dogs for deaf people

  • taking extra time to explain things more clearly

  • being clear when speaking and improving lighting, to help lipreaders

    To help small businesses comply with the Disability Discrimination Act the RNID has produced a factsheet click here to access it.

    For more information on providing an equal service for deaf and hard of hearing customers, call 0808 808 0123 (freephone) or 0808 808 9000 (textphone) or email informationline@rnid.org.uk.

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