EQUALITY ACT & ASSISTANCE PRODUCTS | TOILET ALARM KITS | 99 t: 0845 884 7000 | f: 0845 884 6000 | w: www.channelsafety.co.uk | @channelsafety | EDITION 7 Types of Disability A typical perception of a disabled person is that they are wheelchair users, however this is a huge misconception. The split of disability in the UK is as follows:- • Hearing Impairment 51% • Mobility Problems 22% • Wheelchair users 3% • Blind / partially sighted 15% • Speech impediments 4% • Other 5% Who is affected by the Disability & Equality Act • Does your organisation provide goods or services to the public? • Do members of the general public visit your premises? • Does your organisation conduct interviews on your premises? • Do you carry out training/instruction in your premises? • Does your organisation have a WEB site? • Are you a landlord? Useful Contacts... Equality Advisory Support Service Phone: 0808 800 0082 Textphone: 0808 800 0084 Website: www.equalityadvisoryservice.com System Design Guidance Always refer to the requirements of the Building Regulations 1991, and the Building Regulations (Amendment) 1998, Part M (Access and facilities for disabled people) so as to practice good building design. All business must now provide facilities for disabled persons and this legal obligation extends to the fire alarm system. There are numerous methods of compliance with the Disability Discrimination Act including fixed equipment such as visual alarm indicators, portable equipment such as vibrating pagers and pillows or instructing staff to ensure the safety of disabled persons using the premises. • Failure to provide fire alarm protection for disabled persons in any business premises is a breach of the law. • All automatic door opening installations must comply to BS7036. • On any door opening installation please be aware finger guards may be required either roller blind type or finger guard (plastic). Penalties for failing to comply The DDA gives disabled people the right to bring a civil claim against your business where they find you have breached the provisions of the DDA and discriminated against them. If in doubt contact our technical team on 0845 884 7000. The definition of‘disability’ Under the Equality Act 2010, a person has a disability if: • they have a physical or mental impairment • the impairment has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on their ability to perform normal day-to-day activities For the purposes of the Act, these words have the following meanings: • ‘substantial’means more than minor or trivial • ‘long-term’means that the effect of the impairment has lasted or is likely to last for at least twelve months (there are special rules covering recurring or fluctuating conditions) • ‘normal day-to-day activities’include everyday things like eating, washing, walking and going shopping People who have had a disability in the past that meets this definition are also protected by the Act. Progressive conditions considered a disability - There are additional provisions relating to people with progressive conditions. People with HIV, cancer or multiple sclerosis are protected by the Act from the point of diagnosis. People with some visual impairments are automatically deemed to be disabled. Conditions that are specifically excluded - Some conditions are specifically excluded from being covered by the disability definition, such as a tendency to set fires or addictions to non–prescribed substances. Disability and the Equality Act 2010 From 1 October 2010, the Equality Act has combined all previous acts relating to discrimination, into one, more encompassing legal area. This means that although the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) has been superseded by the Equality Act, the Disability Equality Duty in the DDA continues to apply. Equality Act 2010 The Equality Act 2010 aims to protect disabled people and prevent disability discrimination. It provides legal rights for disabled people in the areas of: • Employment • Education • Access to goods, services and facilities including larger private clubs and land based transport services buying and renting land or property • Functions of public bodies, for example the issuing of licences The Equality Act also provides rights for people not to be directly discriminated against or harassed because they have an association with a disabled person. This can apply to a carer or parent of a disabled person. In addition, people must not be directly discriminated against or harassed because they are wrongly perceived to be disabled.