Access and facilities for disabled people

Overcome physical barriers to access

Physical features of your premises can create barriers that make it impossible or very difficult for disabled people to access your goods or service.

A physical feature:

• is determined by the design or construction of the building
• forms part of the approach, entrance and/or exit to your premises
• can be fittings, fixtures, furniture, equipment, machinery or materials
• is any other physical element on your premises

Examples of physical features include:

• steps, stairways, kerbs
• floors and pavings
• doors and gates
• toilets and washing facilities
• lighting and ventilation

The aim is to overcome these barriers. You can do this by:

• removing the physical feature altogether
• changing it so it no longer creates a barrier
• allowing disabled people to avoid using the physical feature
• providing an alternative method of making the goods or service available to disabled people

You are required to ensure that it is not unreasonably difficult for disabled people to use your services. This may mean either removing or changing a physical feature. Download guidance about making access to goods and services easier for disabled customers from the Disability Rights Commission website (PDF).

Examples of overcoming barriers created by physical features so that disabled people can access goods and services include:

• providing a wider car parking space in your customer or staff car park reserved for use by wheelchair users
• replacing steps with temporary or permanent ramps at the entrance of your premises
• fitting hand rails to help disabled people use small steps, eg one or two steps
• widening doorways so that wheelchairs can pass through easily
• making signs easier to read, eg you could supplement written signs with pictures and visual signs

Subjects covered in this guide

• Introduction
• When a person is considered disabled
• Change practices to give disabled people equal access
• Provide extra aids or services so disabled people can access your goods or services
• Overcome physical barriers to access
• Improve access to and use of your facilities for disabled employees
• What to consider before making an adjustment for disabled employees
• Make significant changes to your premises
• Make significant changes to premises you rent
• Here's how ensuring accessibility for staff and customers has helped our business