Purpose
To outline procedures and practices in place to help identify and remove barriers that would impede anyone with a disability from accessing Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. products and services.
Scope
This policy applies to all goods and services provided by Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc..
Definitions
Assistive Devices: A device used by a person with a disability used to carry out activities or in accessing goods and services. Examples include wheelchairs, canes, crutches, hearing aids, and real-time captioning services (on-screen typing of what speakers are saying).
Barrier: Anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society because of his or her disability, including physical, architectural, informational, communicational, attitudinal or technological barriers and policies or practices.
Disability: As defined under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, means the following:
(a) 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,
(b) a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability,
(c) a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language,
(d) a mental disorder, or
(e) 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”).
Service Animal: any animal used by a person with a disability for reasons relating to the disability where:
(a) it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability;
(b) where the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that he or she requires the animal for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
(c) a valid identification card signed by the Attorney General of Canada or a certificate of training from a recognized guide dog or service animal training school.
Support Person: in relation to a person with a disability, another person who accompanies him or her in order to help with communications, mobility, personal care or medical needs or with access to goods or services.
Policy
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. is committed to ensuring equal access and participation for people with disabilities by preventing, identifying and removing any barriers that could impede the ability of people with disabilities to access goods and services. We are committed to treating people with disabilities in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and we are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner. This includes but is not limited to, access to facilities, communication of information, customer service, and employment.
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. will use every reasonable effort to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:
- That goods or services must be provided in a manner that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.
- That the provision of goods or services to persons with disabilities and others must be integrated unless an alternate measure is necessary, whether temporarily or on a permanent basis, to enable a person with a disability to obtain, use or benefit from the goods or services.
- That persons with disabilities must be given an opportunity equal to that is given to others to obtain, use and benefit from the goods or services.
- When communicating with a person with a disability, all employees shall do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability.
- Every effort will be made by employees to accommodate and assist a person with a disability in the use of any form of assistive device or service, including the use of service animals and support persons, so that the person will be able to obtain, use or benefit from the Company’s goods or services.
- Every effort will be made by Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. to ensure that employees with disabilities are accommodated, up to the point of undue hardship, to ensure their safety and that they have equal opportunities as other employees.
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. is committed to meeting its current and ongoing obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code respecting non-discrimination and understands that obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and its accessibility standards do not substitute or limit its obligations under the Ontario Human Rights Code or obligations to people with disabilities under any other law.
Communication
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. and it’s employees will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into consideration their disability. Employees will be trained on how to communicate inclusively with people with various types of disabilities. Communication will be provided in accessible formats upon request as able. We will work with the person with disabilities to determine what method of communication works for them.
We will also meet internationally-recognized Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Level AA website requirements in accordance with Ontario’s accessibility laws.
Use of Assistive Devices
People with disabilities may use their personal assistive devices when accessing our goods, services or facilities. In cases where the assistive device presents a significant and unavoidable health or safety concern or may not be permitted for other reasons, other measures will be used to ensure the person with a disability can access our goods, services or facilities. We ensure that our staff are trained and familiar with various assistive devices we have on site or that we provide that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods, services or facilities.
Use of Service Animals
Service animals are permitted access to all areas of Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc.’s facilities open to the public, unless specifically prohibited by law. If a service animal is excluded by law from the premises, we will explain why the animal is excluded and make every effort will be made to provide the person with a disability with the ability to obtain, use or benefit from access to goods or services through another means. A service animal can be easily identified through visual indicators, such as when it wears a harness or a vest, or when it helps the person perform certain tasks. When we cannot easily identify that an animal is a service animal, our staff may ask for documentation (template, letter or form) from a regulated health professional that confirms the person needs the service animal for reasons relating to their disability.
Use of Support Persons
If a person with a disability is accompanied by a support person, both persons are permitted to enter Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc.’s public areas together and shall not be prevented from having access to each other while on the premises. If deemed necessary by Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. for the protection of the health and safety of the person with a disability or the health and safety of others on the premises, a support person may be required for the person with a disability while on the premises.
Notice of Disruptions
From time to time, the facilities used by persons with a disability to access the Company’s goods or services, may not be available for utilization. Examples may include, but are not limited to: a closed entrance with a wheelchair ramp, an elevator, and accessible washrooms. When this occurs, either on a planned or unplanned basis, notice shall be posted at a conspicuous place on the premises. Such notice shall include the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration and a description of alternative facilities or services, if any, that are available.
Emergency Situations
All Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. employees will be trained on emergency procedures and how to assist customers, co-workers and other visitors that may require assistance during an emergency. Emergency plans for people with disabilities will be developed as outlined in the Company’s emergency response policies and procedures.
Feedback Process
In order to ensure that Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. is receiving and responding to feedback from the public about the manner in which it provides goods and services to persons with disabilities, the public is encouraged to contact the Company as follows:
- In Person
- By Telephone
- By E-mail
- By Mail
All feedback will be reviewed and a reply will be sent to the person(s) providing the feedback. Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. provides accessible formats and communication supports with respect to the feedback process. Customers can expect to hear back in 7 business days. Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. ensures our feedback process is accessible to people with disabilities by providing or arranging for accessible formats and communication supports, on request. We communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability. When asked, we will provide information about our organization and its services, including public safety information, in accessible formats or with communication supports in a timely manner, taking into account the person’s accessibility needs due to disability and at a cost that is no more than the regular cost charged to other persons. We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support. If the organization determines that information or communications are unconvertible, the organization shall provide the requestor with an explanation as to why the information or communications are unconvertible and a summary of the unconvertible information or communications We notify the public about the availability of accessible formats and communication supports by posting onsite and on our company website.
Notice of Availability of Documents
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. notifies the public that documents related to accessible customer service, are available upon request by posting a notice onsite and on our company website.
Employment
We notify employees, job applicants and the public that accommodations can be made during recruitment and hiring. We notify job applicants when they are individually selected to participate in an assessment or selection process that accommodations are available upon request. We consult with the applicants and provide or arrange for suitable accommodation. We will notify successful applicants of policies for accommodating employees with disabilities when making offers of employment.
We will notify employees that supports are available for those with disabilities as soon as practicable after they begin their employment. We provide updated information to employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodation that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to a disability.
We will consult with employees when arranging for the provision of suitable accommodation in a manner that takes into account the accessibility needs due to disability. We will consult with the person making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication supports specifically for information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job and information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
Where needed, we will also provide customized emergency information to help an employee with a disability during an emergency. With the employee’s consent, we will provide workplace emergency information to a designated person who is providing assistance to that employee during an emergency. We will provide the information as soon as practicable after we become aware of the need for accommodation due to the employee’s disability. We will review the individualized workplace emergency response information when the employee moves to a different location in the organization, when the employee’s overall accommodations needs or plans are reviewed and when the employer reviews its general emergency response policies.
We have a written process to develop individual accommodation plans for employees. We have a written process for employees who have been absent from work due to a disability and require disability-related accommodations in order to return to work. Our performance management, career development and redeployment processes take into account the accessibility needs of all employees.
Training
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. shall ensure that every employee, independent contractor or volunteer is trained in accessible customer service and other Ontario accessibility standards and aspects of the Ontario Human Rights Code that relate to persons with disabilities.
In addition, we will train all other persons who provides goods or services to the public on behalf of the Company. Every person who participates in developing the Company’s policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods and services to the public, shall receive training about the provision of its goods or services to persons with disabilities.
The training provided shall include:
- The purpose of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requiremens of the Customer Service Standard.
- Our policies related to the Customer Service Standard
- AODA/IASR and Ontario Human Right Code
- How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability.
- How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person.
- How to use equipment or devices available on the Company’s premises or otherwise provided by the Company that may help with the provision of goods or services to a person with a disability (which may include walkers, scooters, wheelchairs, crutches, etc.).
- What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing the Company’s goods or services.
Training for those who are responsible for hiring will also include training on the employment standard.
Training will be provided as soon as practicable and on an ongoing basis in respect to changes to the policies and the law.
Detailed training records will be kept for each employee.
Documentation
A copy of this Policy will be given to any person upon request, in a format that takes into consideration the person’s disability, if any. A notice to this effect will be placed in a conspicuous place in the premises and on the Company’s website.
Compliance Reports
Brockville Hardware Enterprises Inc. will complete and submit all AODA Compliance Reports on or before the deadlines.
Evaluation
Any policies of this organization that do not respect and promote the principles of dignity, independence, integration and equal opportunity for people with disabilities will be modified or removed.
Legislation/Standards/Regulations
Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act
Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation 191/11
Forms
Notice of Service Disruption Form