The Chairman of the UK Disability Rights Commission (DRC) warned facilities managers at a recent informational conference in London that they must start conforming their buildings to the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) or face higher construction costs as demand increases closer to the 2004 deadline. Under the DDA, service providers are required to remove all physical obstacles to goods, services, and facilities by October 1, 2004. The chairman, Bert Massie, assured FMs that the DRC will work along with them to make sure buildings are accessible and staff are trained, only resorting to the force of the court system if necessary.
Exemptions from the DDA include the education sector, strictly private clubs, and the transportation industry (airplanes, buses, taxis, coaches, and trains), which is under separate regulations, although buildings such as airports and bus stations must comply with the DDA. For further information on the DDA, call the Disability Rights Commission’s helpline (in the UK) at 08457 622 633.
Based on a report from workplacelaw.net
