The DDA Act 1995 (Enforceable since October 2004) makes it unlawful to discriminate against Disabled Persons in connection with employment, the provision of goods, facilities and services or the disposal or management of the premises. Directly affected by The Act are disabled people, employers, service providers, landlords and tenants and building designers.

All companies and organisations are affected by The Act irrespective of numbers of people employed.
   
 

The Act requires employers to assess the needs of individual employees and job applicants with a disability and make reasonable adjustments to working practices and the workplace. Reasonable adjustments may include alterations to physical features of the premises, changing the place of work, assigning other duties, altering hours of work, acquiring modified equipment and provision of a reader or interpreter.

   
 

The Act requires service providers to make reasonable adjustments for the disabled population at large. Adjustments may be to physical premises, or to the way the services are provided.

Typical premises and services covered by The Act include Government Departments & Agencies, hotels, banks, shops, post offices, theatres, cinemas, churches, hospitals, national parks and sports stadia.

Whether the service is free of charge or in return for payment, Part 3 of The Act will apply.
 
  The objective of the audit is to carry out a full and comprehensive inspection of the clients’ premises to identify and assess all physical features of the buildings and surrounding areas that may potentially present a barrier or obstacle to people with disabilities.

Typical items, features and elements that are inspected during the Audit:

  • Approach Routes Street Furniture
  • Car Parking Ramps
  • Steps & Staircases Entrances
  • Lobbies Seating
  • Reception Areas
  • Way Finding
  • Doors Corridors
  • Lifts & Stair Lifts WC’s
  • Floor Surfaces Signage
  • Lighting Acoustics
  • Communications Means of Escape
     
 
 

DDA Audits to clients’ premises covering:

  • Ambulant Disabled - Vision impaired
  • Hearing impairment - Wheelchair users

It is widely acknowledged that by addressing these four Disability Groups it is likely that the majority of Access Issues will be identified.

  • Comprehensive & detailed audit reports
  • Report summary by priority and location enabling simplification of management decisions
  • Optional fully functioning electronic database
  • Identification of reasonable adjustments to building features
  • Access Management Plans
 
     
 
  ACM is able to provide disabled access consultancy services at building design and development stage via highly qualified access consultants registered with the National Register of Access Consultants.
   
  ACM is able to provide combined DDA Audits and Asbestos Surveys to clients’ premises with the following benefits:
  • Delivers significant costs savings
  • Minimises disruption to site activities
  • Targeted asbestos sampling and inspections to building features that may require adjustment for Disabled Access purposes
For more information on the survey type most suited to your organisation and for a quotation please phone our Customer Help Desk