Action 2.2B Conduct accessibility/universal design audits of company buildings and action recommendations.

Guidance

To ensure that company buildings are accessible and inclusive, it is important to conduct occasional accessibility and universal design audits on organisational buildings and physical spaces. Where resources are available, external agencies specialising in these audits can support the organisation to evaluate their compliance with specific standards and universal design principles, and skills to identify and address accessibility issues can be developed internally over time.

“We had the whole building accessibility-audited, and we are working our through the recommendations bit by bit.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

Here are key steps to achieve this:

1. Involve Disabled People/Staff– Engage disabled staff members throughout the audit process. Invite and gather feedback from staff before and after the audits to understand their needs and assess the effectiveness of the changes. This helps in continuously improving the accessibility of the workplace. Their insights are invaluable in identifying barriers and developing effective solutions.
2. Conduct Comprehensive Evaluations/Audits– Conduct thorough audits that cover all aspects of physical spaces, including entrances, restrooms, parking, workstations, kitchens/canteens, signage, lighting, acoustics, and ergonomics. Using technical standards and national guidance (see resources) to guide the audit criteria will support quality in the process.
3. Action Recommendations– Review the findings and implement the recommendations from the audits to improve accessibility. This may involve for example structural changes, installing assistive devices, changes to furniture layout or updating signage. Eligible organisations should explore the possibility of utilising available public funding opportunities such as the Work and Access Fund to implement the recommended adaptations to the workplace (see resources).

“Check your eligibility for grants, and/or build supports costs into budgets and plans.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer

By conducting accessibility and universal design building audits and acting on the recommendations, and building internal knowledge about accessibility barriers, your organisation can create an inclusive environment that supports all employees.

“We had an external company to come in and do an accessibility audit. These auditors come in and I’ve recommendations that I then present to management. When I take these recommendations to management, they are very responsive and attend to what the auditors have asked for.”

WIDE Consultation Participant – Employer