Disability Law in the UK - Do I need to install a lift for staff?

Question

I run a small (5 part-time employees) public health care service in a building which is on 2 floors, and the top floor is for staff only.

Do I need to provide a lift for my staff to get onto the upper floor according to the UK Disability/Equal opportunity Laws? Would I contravene the law otherwise?

If someone can provide a reference, that'd be great!

Answer 1

The law in this case is very vaigh. I am an employer and have had a review of 4 business premises.

The law states you must make all steps which are reasonable and practicable to accomodate employees, customers and visitors with physical and mental disabilities,

Initially it is down to you to decide whether it would be reasonable and practical to install a lift,

If an inspector comes from the Disability Rights Commission then it is down to his or her judgement whether it would of been reasonable and practical to install a lift,

Above the inspector you can apeal his/her decision with His/her supervisor then appeal again to the Chief Inspector and above him to the Courts,

If you only have 5 employees then I dont think it would be practical or reasonable to install a lift, If you was to employ a person with disabilities you could always make arrangment to have an office put down stairs.

There is nothing written down anywhere in law which states you must have a lift

Answer 2

i believe that since folk on incapacity benefit are being sent back to work their will be a rush for folk to install lifts ect in the workplace because no doubt employers will be given cash insentives to employ the disabled at the usual crappay rate

Answer 3

Not sure about the answer to this but there is a leaflet available here. This is from the disability rights commission, it mentions funding to help employers make physical changes to their premises. Probably a phone call to thr DRC is the best answer.

http://www.equalityhumanrights.com/Docum...

Answer 4

We had an issue about disability access a couple of years ago when we moved into offices that were on the first floor of a building.  After a bit of research I found that the main responsibility is on the landlord.  Whilst we were responsible for providing as safe and accessible an environment as we could within our offices, it was the landlord's responsibility to make sure that all parts of the building were as accessible as possible.

Check out the information in the government's site about the Disability Discrimination Act.  It talks about doing what is considered reasonable.  It may not be reasonable to instal a lift.