Disability Access Policy

Our Policy aims to ensure that the most suitable and capable candidate is offered any post within Diamond Light Source Ltd (here in after referred to as 'the Company'). Reasonable physical adaptations and adaptations to policies, procedures or practices will be made to enable them to fulfil their duties. Should an existing Company employee become disabled then all reasonable efforts will be made to alter the balance of duties to take account of the disability and to fully utilise the skills of the person and to give all possible support.
All visitors, users and contractors will be requested to make the appropriate Company employee aware of any special needs that they may have so that assistance may be given where necessary. It is not mandatory to give this information but we feel that it will make their visit more productive, enjoyable and safe.

All staff will be given disability awareness training as part of their induction training and existing staff will be given refresher training as appropriate.

A full emergency evacuation plan will be implemented to ensure that everyone can evacuate the building. Personal Emergency Evacuation Plans (PEEP) will be written for those who will require assistance, in consultation with the individual person concerned, and may include employees whose duty will be to ensure that the particular person is taken to safety. These PEEPs will be rehearsed (drilled) at agreed intervals.

Our website has been designed to meet Priority 2 Level of the W3C Accessibility Guidelines, and we have taken every care to make the site as usable as possible. The website will be regularly updated to ensure that it complies with W3C accessibility guidelines and is up to date with issues that may affect disabled people under all existing and future headings.

This Policy and all associated policies will be monitored and reviewed regularly in consultation with the Employee Representative Council and updated as necessary.

Diamond Light Source takes disability access seriously and has had a Disability Discrimination Act Access Audit undertaken to highlight action that should be taken to improve access for staff employed at this site.

Disabled parking bays are available. These are available not only to Blue Badge holders but to anyone who has a recognised impairment that would affect them walking from the normal parking areas. Around the synchrotron building itself prior notification of need is requested to ensure that provision for reserved parking may made at the most convenient location for the individual.

Access to Diamond House is good and there are lifts and stairs to upper floors.

The Atrium has a self-service Reception Desk and a meeter/greeter will be available, through prior arrangement, to assist any person. Visitors are requested to make their host aware of any particular needs that they may have before their arrival.

There are accessible unisex toilets on all floors of Diamond House and on the ground floor of the Synchrotron; a single accessible unisex toilet is available on the first floor of the Synchrotron.

On their first visit users are required to report at the User Office and then be accompanied to their area of work. If they will be working in the Synchrotron, the User office will request information on special needs prior to their visit and will address these particular needs as part of their general induction.

With regard to disabled users there may be a restriction on actually carrying out functions within certain areas. Where there are no health and safety issues and where safe access is possible, every effort will be made to enable users to witness such functions first hand.

Control cabins and peripheral laboratories, optics hutches, experimental hutches and control/ instrumentation areas will all be accessible for all users where reasonably practicable and where there is no conflict with health and safety legislation (although we will not use health and safety as an excuse for not using a facility).

Evacuation chairs are available and selected staff trained to use this equipment and to evacuate those who require assistance. Safe refuges are at appropriate places for disabled people to use as part of the management plan in their evacuation.

There is an accessible ground floor restaurant in a separate building and accommodation at Ridgeway House includes 3 accessible bedrooms, with 2 on the ground floor with a further 1 on the first floor; the breakfast dining room is on the first floor with lift access.

Last Revision Date: July 2011