A recent report highlighted the ongoing struggles faced by disabled employees in the workplace. The Great Big Workplace Adjustments Survey 2023, conducted by the Business Disability Forum, revealed that only a third of disabled employees believe their employers are truly committed to inclusivity and removing workplace barriers. Alarmingly, only 10% of the 1,500 disabled employees and managers surveyed found it easy to obtain the reasonable adjustments they needed.
This is particularly concerning given that employers have a legal duty to ensure reasonable adjustments for disabled employees, including devising safe evacuation plans for wheelchair users in the event of a fire. Government guidelines mandate that building managers must provide a fire safety risk assessment that includes an emergency evacuation plan for all occupants, including disabled individuals.
Employers are legally and morally obligated to ensure that concerns about providing a safe exit strategy for wheelchair users do not prevent them from hiring disabled individuals. Under the Disability Discrimination Act 1995, failing to do so is illegal. However, the responsibility often falls on facilities managers to implement these necessary adjustments, which includes ensuring a safe emergency exit strategy for wheelchair users, considering that elevators may be unusable during a fire.
Managing Director of The Evacuation Company, Chris Persey, who previously worked as a teacher in a school with three tower blocks, recognised the significant challenges wheelchair-using students faced in accessing floors above ground level, posing a barrier to their education. Chris’s solution was the development of stair climbers. A stair climber is a battery-powered, mobile device designed to navigate stairs with ease. Available with a seat or as a wheelchair carrier, these portable, user-friendly, and cost-effective devices are widely used by elderly and disabled individuals worldwide.
Initially focusing on aiding access to private homes, the company’s primary business has been with occupational therapists and care groups. “There are many people who are confined to their homes for years. Our product and service empower them and their caregivers to venture out.” Chris Persey, Managing Director, The Evacuation Company
While our core mission has been to assist individuals at home, we have recognised the significant potential of our product in larger facilities. Care homes represent a clear market, and we have partnered with London hotel Claridges to provide a dignified mobility solution for disabled and elderly guests. We have also worked alongside the City of Bath, making the Roman baths the first fully accessible World Heritage site.
The market for facilities management is growing. For commercial workplace managers, stair climbers offer a crucial solution for creating a safe environment for all employees, providing an alternative evacuation process for wheelchair users when elevators are not an option.
Stair climbers offer a crucial solution for creating a safe environment for all employees.
Stair climbers are beneficial not only during emergencies but also for daily challenges faced by wheelchair users, such as navigating a few steps at the workplace entrance. These devices can eliminate such obstacles.
The Evacuation Company offers training for facilities managers and other health and safety personnel upon installation of the stair climbers. The training is straightforward, requiring only a few hours and no special skills or strength. Additionally, refresher training is provided every six months to ensure staff retain their proficiency.
Despite disability legislation, barriers to employment for disabled individuals persist. According to disability charity Scope, the employment rate for disabled people is just 53%, compared to 82% for non-disabled people.
“The key is to help people gain employment. While much is being done for mental health in the workplace, physical access remains a significant hurdle. Providing the means for disabled individuals to access work is invaluable.” Chris Persey, Managing Director, The Evacuation Company
If you’re looking to review the accessibility of your workspace, contact us to schedule a complimentary access audit.