Employers in the UK have a responsibility to provide disabled access to their buildings under the Equality Act 2010. This means that employers must make reasonable adjustments to ensure that disabled people can access their buildings and use their services.

The Equality Act 2010 defines a disability as a physical or mental impairment that has a substantial and long-term adverse effect on a person's ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.

The duty to make reasonable adjustments applies to all employers, regardless of their size or industry. It also applies to all areas of employment, including recruitment, selection, training, promotion, and redundancy.

When deciding what reasonable adjustments to make, employers should consider the following factors:

• The cost of making the adjustment
• The effectiveness of the adjustment
• The practicalities of making the adjustment
• The impact of the adjustment on the employer and other employees

Some examples of reasonable adjustments that employers may need to make to provide disabled access to their buildings include:

• Installing ramps and lifts
• Widening doorways
• Providing accessible toilets and changing facilities
• Adapting equipment and furniture
• Providing sign language interpreters or hearing loops

Employers should also consider the needs of disabled visitors to their buildings. This may involve making similar adjustments to those listed above, as well as providing accessible parking and public transport information.

If a disabled person is unable to access an employer's building or use their services because of a lack of disabled access, they may be able to bring a claim for discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.

Here are some additional tips for employers on how to provide disabled access to their buildings:

• Conduct a disability audit to identify any areas where your building could be made more accessible.
• Consult with disabled employees and visitors to get their feedback on how to improve accessibility.
• Provide training to all staff on disability awareness and how to make reasonable adjustments.
• Have a system in place for dealing with complaints from disabled people about accessibility.

By following these tips, employers can help to ensure that their buildings are accessible to everyone.

Shop for disabled access signs at The Sign Shed.