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Article Index
Disability Discrimination Act - Access To Goods And Services
Introduction
About this guide
How the Disability Discrimination Act affects you
Disabled customers
Meeting the needs of your customers
Equality, dignity and respect
Principles to bear in mind
Identifying and finding the premises
Approaching the premises
Entering the premises
Making doors easier to use
Finding the way around
Lighting
Moving about within the premises
Communicating with staff
Getting to goods and services
Queuing systems, waiting areas and seating
Counters, service desks and checkouts
Information about goods and services
Customer toilets
Getting out of the premises
Public or common areas
Where to get further help and technical advice
Northern Ireland
Publications
Organisations

Disability Discrimination Act - Access to Goods and Services for the Disabled

Making Access to Goods and Services Easier for Disabled Customers: A Practical Guide for Small Businesses and Other Service Providers

Identifying and finding the premises

Consider who your customers are (or potentially might be), and how they identify your premises: the entrance should be easy to find from the street, car park or other routes to the building. Customers with visual impairments or learning disabilities, for example, may have more difficulty identifying the premises and the entrance door than other customers.

Practical suggestions:

  • Clearer signs: could there be clearer signs directing people to the entrance or on the premises itself saying what is in the building and also identifying the premises by street name and number and telephone number?
  • Using colour: could the entrance door itself be made easier to see, for example by painting the door a contrasting colour or tone from the surround?
  • Locating an alternative entrance: if for some reason some disabled customers access your premises by an entrance other than the one normally used by other customers - and it is not practical to make this the main entrance for all customers - could the alternative entrance be more clearly signed?


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