Ottawa Mould Craft Accessibility Policy PURPOSE a) Ottawa Mould Craft is committed to providing accessible goods and services to its clients and employees with disabilities in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. b) This policy and its procedures address the accessibility requirements of Regulation 49/07 Accessibility Standards for Customer Service under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA). SCOPE This policy applies to all Ottawa Mould Craft employees, students, clients, contractors, subcontractors, suppliers or visitors to our workplace. DEFINITIONS a) Assistive Devices: are auxiliary aids such as communication aids, cognition aids, personal mobility aids (e.g.; canes, crutches, wheelchairs or hearing aids). b) Barrier: Anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability including a physical barrier, an information or communication barrier, an attitudinal barrier, a technological barrier, a policy or a practice. c) Disability (as per the Ontario Human Rights Code): any degree of physical disability, infirmity, malformation or disfigurement that is caused by bodily injury, birth defect or illness and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes diabetes mellitus, epilepsy, a brain injury, any degree of paralysis, amputation, lack of physical co-ordination, blindness or visual impediment, deafness or hearing impediment, muteness or speech impediment, or physical reliance on a guide dog or other animal or on a wheelchair or other remedial appliance or device; a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability; a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language; a mental disorder; or an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997; ( handicap ). 1
d) Persons with Disabilities: are individuals who have a disability as defined under the Ontario Human Rights Code. e) Service Animals: are animals individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability. f) Support Persons: are any persons, whether a paid professional, volunteer, family member, or a friend, who accompanies a person with a disability in order to help with communications, personal care or medical needs, or with access to goods or services. RESPONSIBILITIES a) Employees i) Where necessary, employees will be provided with training materials so that they will be able to interact with customers who may have a disability. The materials will include information on how to interact with a person with a disability who may use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person. See paragraph 7(f) for more information about training. b) Managers and Supervisors i) Ensure that staff are aware of the Accessibility Policy by ensuring that staff have attended received the training materials, any refresher training information deemed appropriate by the Company. ii) Respond to inquiries on the policy or procedures. c) Human Resources/Joint Health and Safety Committee i) Establish a process to ensure the review, communication and documentation of the policy as necessary. ii) Provide advice and guidance on matters pertaining to the application and interpretation of the policy and procedures. iii) Maintain any training documentation, as appropriate, within personnel files. iv) On an annual basis, complete the on-line accessibility reports as required by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. v) Ensure that employees with disabilities have emergency response information that is tailored to the employee s needs, if the disability requires it. vi) Create and post emergency procedures, plans or public safety information in accessible formats with communications supports on request. d) Senior Management i) Review any training documentation, any refresher training information as deemed necessary by the Company. While Senior Management may not be directly involved in providing goods or services to people with disabilities they may direct, monitor or evaluate policies on how goods or services are provided, therefore, it is important that they understand those areas that must be covered in the training. ii) Assist persons under their area of responsibility as it relates to enquiries, intervention and responses to issues. 2
PROCEDURES Ottawa Mould Craft will work with clients and employees to identify, prevent and remove barriers to participation to ensure compliance with the Accessibility Standards Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07. a) Customer Service Standard All goods and services at Ottawa Mould Craft will be provided in a manner that respects the dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity of people with disabilities: o o o Dignity: service is provided in a way that allows the person with a disability to maintain self-respect and the respect of other people. Independence: when a person with a disability is allowed to do things on their own, without unnecessary help or interference from others. Integration and Equal Opportunity: service is provided in a way that allows the person with a disability to benefit from the same services, in the same place, and in the same or similar way as other customers, unless an alternate measure is necessary to enable a person with disability to access goods or services. They should not have to make significantly more effort to access or obtain service. They should also not have to accept inconvenience or lesser quality. Sometimes this may mean that the company has to treat individuals slightly differently so that they can benefit fully from the services. b) Assistive Devices Ottawa Mould Craft is committed to serving people with disabilities, and ensuring that those who use assistive devices will benefit from enjoying a fulfilling experience. We will ensure that required employees are trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by a person with a disability while accessing our goods and services. c) Communicating with a Person with a Disability Ottawa Mould Craft s policies and procedures take a person s disability into account when communicating with the individual. Two-way communications is a process of providing, sending, receiving and understanding information. To communicate in an effective way, Ottawa Mould Craft considers how the disability affects the way that the person expresses, receives or processes communications. Where possible, Ottawa Mould Craft will consult with the individual directly to determine the best way to communicate with him or her. d) Service Animals Ottawa Mould Craft is committed to welcoming persons with disabilities who are accompanied by a trained, accredited service animal. A service animal may accompany an individual or any third party with a disability to all parts of our premises that are open to the public. Service animals are animals that a person with a disability uses for support 3
Ottawa Mould Craft will ensure that all employees who deal with the public are aware of how to interact with people with disabilities, who are accompanied by a service animal. If the service animal is causing a disturbance for other clients or employees, the individual and accompanying service animal may be required to leave the area or premises. The owner is responsible to "stoop and scoop". e) Support Persons Ottawa Mould Craft is committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person is allowed to enter the premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on the premises. Access will be in accordance with normal security procedures. In some cases a support person may have to agree to abide by rules or requirements that are specific to the kinds of goods and services being provided. For example, where confidentiality is important due to the nature of the information being discusses, the support person may be required to sign a confidentiality agreement prior to the disclosure of information. A copy of the signed consent will be retained by Ottawa Mould Craft. f) Temporary Disruption of Service In the event that Ottawa Mould Craft is aware of a temporary disruption of services, they will make the disruption known to customers through its communication networks. The Ottawa Mould Craft web site; Telephone recordings; or Temporary signage. Notices will include reasons for the disruption, its anticipated duration, or alternative offerings. g) Process to Receive and Respond to Feedback Ottawa Mould Craft has a process in place for receiving and responding to feedback about how goods and services are provided to persons with disabilities. Feedback can be provided in person, by telephone, by mail or by email to: Attention: President Ottawa Mould Craft 2510 Don Reid Drive Ottawa, ON K1H 1E1 Telephone: 613-521-6402 extension 21 Email: darcy@ottawamould.com 4
Feedback will be used to improve customer service. In addition, the author of the feedback will be provided with a response in the format in which the feedback was received, unless otherwise specified. h) Training Materials Ottawa Mould Craft provides training information to all employees who are involved in the development and approvals of this policy and procedures on providing goods and services to persons with disabilities. Ottawa Mould Craft ensures that anyone who deals with the public, have the required training. Individuals in the following positions are trained by Ottawa Mould Craft: Board of Directors; Senior Staff; Managers and appropriate front office staff Others deemed appropriate All new employees who work with the public will receive the training materials. The information will be provided as soon as practicable or as soon as it can be done in the circumstances, after an employee commences his or her duties. The training material content includes the following: An overview of the legislation and the purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard; How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities; How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person; How to use the assistive devices available on Ottawa Mould Craft premises or otherwise that may help with the provision of goods or services to people with disabilities; What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Ottawa Mould Craft s goods and services; Ottawa Mould Craft s policies and procedures relating to the customer service standard; and On-going training in connection with any changes to Ottawa Mould Craft s policies and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to people with disabilities is provided. 5
Records will be maintained including the date on which the materials were provided including the content. i) Documentation and Annual Filing Notices are posted, informing the public that the documents required by the Customer Service Standard are available upon request and will be provided in a format that takes a person`s disability into account. Documents are available through the following networks, as appropriate. Web site Telephone recordings; Publications; or Signage. On an annual basis, the Joint Health and Safety Committee has responsibility to complete the on-line accessibility reports as required by the Ministry of Community and Social Services. REFERENCES AND RELATED POLICIES a) Ontario Human Rights Code b) Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) c) Accessibility Standards for Customer Service, Ontario Regulation 429/07 6