Special thanks go out to EMC Members Shari Blackburn at Batory Industries, along with Elise Marentette from Anchor Danly, for leading the discussion about the requirements of the standard. 

As with many members across the province, understanding the standard and its applicability to the manufacturing sector is a stretch.  Most manufacturers, including those in this SIG session were finding it hard to think beyond the standard into how this affects their operation and day to day activities.

As with anything new, it is important to understand the foundation of why this is being introduced to all businesses in Ontario.  Our experts in the room walked us through the rational of the vision for the Ontario Government.  The legislation is part of the Ontario Provincial Government's plan to ensure that, by 2025, people with disabilities are able to participate in and enjoy the opportunities available to people without disabilities.  The first set of standards to come into effect relates to customer service and affects organizations that provide goods and services to the public. Public sector organizations must comply by January 1, 2010; private sector firms by January 1, 2012. 

• Simply put, if your organization has at least one employee with a phone on their desk, or who interacts with people who don't work for your organization, you must comply.
• The accessibility standard for customer service applies to every designated public sector organization and to every other person or organization that provides goods or services to members of the public or other third parties and that has at least one employee in Ontario. Organizations with 20 or more employees are required to report compliance annually.

Compliance involves such activities as:

• Developing, implementing and publicly posting policies, practices and procedures;
• Enabling people to use their own personal assistive devices to access your goods and use your services;
• Making your workplace barrier-free; and
• Reporting annually on your compliance to the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (for organizations with more than 20 employees).

It should be noted that employers with less than 20 employees are not exempt from implementing the requirements of the Standard; they are just exempt from having a formal documented policy.  It is important to note the seriousness of this standard.  Through the presentation we learned that under the Customer Service Standards, the government will apply fines of up to $50,000 per day or part day for Directors and Officers, and fines of up to $100,000 per day or part day for the corporations who don't comply.

So where should manufacturers start?

There are excellent resources built to assist organizations with understanding and implementation of this standard.  Visiting the website http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/en/mcss/programs/accessibility/   to learn about compliance and how to file your accessibility report, as well as accessing helpful tools and resources is a great place to begin.  The website has information and material that most can download and use as part of their training materials and policy development. 

Our hosts used a walkthrough of the website to familiarize our members with the information stored and where to find and access pertinent information, relevant for getting started quickly. 

The EMC members who attended the session also came up with some quick ways to introduce this into their organizations including:

1. Develop a policy that not only includes awareness for compliance in your organization, but share this policy with your all customers, subcontractors and suppliers, notifying them of your policy and your intent to accommodate them should they need assistance in any way.  Promote the need for advanced notification for special needs while ensuring they are aware that you are required to accommodate even if notification only comes as a request upon a visit.
2. Make sure your website promotes your policy and your intent to accommodate visitors when notified.
3. For organizations that have surveys distributed to customers and suppliers, simply add a couple of questions focussing on whether they have any special needs that require accommodation and whether they are happy with the accommodation requirements to date.
4. Many members felt a good strategy would be the inclusion of this requirement into their existing H&S program.  Many organizations have a sign-in process and felt adding an area that asks whether accommodation is required and if so, a place to document specific requirements would be helpful. 
5. During the training and awareness process for your employees, ensure they understand that accommodation is required and should they be asked, they must provide alternatives for customers and suppliers with special needs.
6. Create temporary designated spaces that can be used as contingency in the event of a physical disability need.

What is important to know is that accommodation permanently is not a requirement for visitors to your organization, rather which all employees are aware that they are required to accommodate, event temporarily and this is the new standard for business.

After the discussion was concluded, I believe there was a collective sigh of relief for those that attended.  Having the time to discuss and come up with solutions and quick actions to get started left the group feeling less apprehensive about implementation of these requirements.  There is a tremendous amount of information available to employers including EMC so do not hesitate to use MNH and other consortia activities to support your journey to compliance.