Campus Accessibility
Legislative Context
The University is legally obliged under the Equality Act (2010) to make reasonable adjustments to its campus environment and buildings to enable access by disabled students, staff and members of the public. The University is also legally obliged to promote equality of opportunity for disabled people, to involve disabled people in identifying its priorities for action and to assess the impact of its activities on disabled people.
The Equality Act covers all aspects of the physical environment, including access to and circulation within buildings, acoustics and lighting and building management arrangements. The Act requires Universities to make reasonable adjustments in anticipation of the needs of disabled people. In relation to physical access, a reasonable adjustment may involve removing or altering the feature that is presenting a barrier, providing a reasonable means of avoiding the feature or providing a reasonable alternative means of accessing services.
Universities responsibilities under the Accessibility Act are ongoing and evolving i.e. adjustments should be monitored and reviewed in the light of experience and any technological or other developments that may provide new or better solutions to inaccessible services.
A landmark legal ruling on the duty to make adjustments to premises has highlighted the need to anticipate potential difficulties that disabled people might experience when accessing services. It has also highlighted the importance of a structured approach to assessing services and premises for potential problems and retaining evidence of a robust decision-making process.
Decision Making Route for Physical Access Adjustments
The University established a DDA Estates Steering Group in 2004 (recently renamed the Campus Accessibility Group) to identify and approve priorities for action in relation to physical adjustments on campus, taking account of legislative requirements, disabled people’s needs and the University’s strategic priorities. Membership of this group currently consists of the University Secretary, the Director of Student Operations, the Head of Disability Services, the Disability Support Officer (DSO) for Estates and a disabled member of staff.
Funding is allocated each financial year to enable ongoing access improvements and to respond to emerging needs. The latter are typically identified by members of staff or disabled people (including students, staff and members of the public) via the Head of Disability Services or the DSO for Estates.
Key Physical Access Improvements to August 2012
- Fire evacuation lifts installed in key student and public access buildings on main campus (Dalhousie, the Tower and DUSA).
- Commitment secured to hosting the University’s physical access information on the national register DisabledGo from April 2010 (initially for a period of three years).
- Induction loops installed in all main teaching and reception areas on main campus.
- Pager systems for people with hearing impairments provided in Dalhousie, Tower and Mathew Buildings
- Ramps installed in key older buildings on main campus, including Fulton, Carnelley and 1-3 Perth Road.
- Accessible toilets installed in key student and public access buildings across the main campus. One of these (in Dalhousie) includes a hoist and changing facilities to meet the needs of people with profound physical disabilities.
- New campus signage installed in line with good practice guidelines, and new campus maps created identifying the location of accessible parking bays.
- All blue badge holders permitted to park free of charge on the main campus.
- Accessibility requirements written into pre-tender information for contractors, and designers briefed to ensure works comply with BS8300:2009 (code of practice for the design of buildings and their approaches to meet the needs of disabled people).
Planned Future Physical Access Priorities
- Increase wheelchair accessible accommodation in Heathfield and Belmont student residences.
- Improve accessibility at Kirkcaldy campus.
Contacts for Physical Access Adjustments
If you have any suggestions for physical access improvements to the University’s buildings and campus environment or have identified a specific access issue that needs to be addressed, please contact:
Shirley Hill, Head of Disability Services: s.hill@dundee.ac.uk
Allan Watson, Disability Support Officer, Estates and Buildings: a.v.watson@dundee.ac.uk
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