Accessibility

Purpose and Scope

The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) is a policy that deals with the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service Ontario. It is a Provincial act aimed at creating a more accessible Ontario by identifying, and to the extent possible, preventing and eliminating barriers experienced by persons with disabilities. A standard for customer service has been established under the AODA to ensure that goods are services are, where at all possible, equally accessible to every Ontarian.

Policy Statement

Samco Machinery Ltd. is committed to applying the principles and guidelines of the AODA and strives to provide services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.

It is the policy of Samco Machinery Ltd.  that every employee and customer has a right to equitable treatment with respect to employment, services, facilities and accommodation without discrimination in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code.

Providing Goods and Services to Customers with Disabilities

Samco Machinery Ltd. is committed to excellence in serving all customers including those with disabilities and will carry out its functions and responsibilities to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the following principles:

• Customers with disabilities are given an opportunity equal to that of persons without disabilities to obtain, use or benefit from Samco Machinery’s goods and services, and
• Ensure the best possible customer service, Samco Machinery encourages open two-way communication and expects customers with disabilities to communicate their needs for accommodation or assistance if it is not readily apparent how that need can be met.

Communication

Samco Machinery Ltd. strives to communicate with customers with disabilities in ways that take into consideration their disabilities and their preferred method of communication.

• Customers with disabilities will be offered alternative communication formats that will meet the needs of the customer as promptly as feasible;

• Documents will be provided to customers in an alternative format that will meet the needs of the customer in a timely fashion, and

• If telephone communication is not suitable for customer’s needs, alternative forms of communication will be offered as required.

Definitions

Accessible shall mean capable of being entered or reached, approachable; easy to get at; capable of being influenced, obtainable; able to be understood or appreciated.

Assistive Device shall mean a device used to assist persons with disabilities in carrying out activities or in accessing the services of persons or organizations covered by the Customer Service Standard.

Barrier shall mean anything that prevents a person with a disability from fully participating in all aspects of society, including the workplace, because of his or her disability including:

• A physical barrier
• An architectural barrier
• An information or communicators barrier
• An attitudinal barrier
• A technological barrier
• A policy or practice

Customers shall mean those who receive goods and services.

Dignity shall mean respecting and treating every person including persons with a disability as valued and as deserving of effective and full service as any other customer.

Disability: Shall mean,

• 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
• a condition of mental impairment or a developmental disability
• a learning disability, or a dysfunction in one or more of the processes involved in understanding or using symbols or spoken language
• a mental disorder, or
• an injury or disability for which benefits were claimed or received under the insurance plan established under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act, 1997

Goods and Services shall mean goods and services provided by Samco Machinery Ltd.

Independence shall mean freedom from control or influence of others, freedom to make your own choices.

Service Animal shall mean an animal that has been trained to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities and includes any animal,
if it is readily apparent that the animal is used by the person for reasons relating to his or her disability; or
if the person provides a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the disability.

Support Person shall mean an individual hired or chosen by a person with a disability to provide services or assistance with communication, mobility, personal care, medical needs or with access to goods or services.

Use of service animals, assistive devices, and support persons

Samco Machinery Ltd. will strive to ensure that the access to our facilities and services are not compromised for customers with disabilities who require assistive devices, or who are accompanied by a service animal or support person.

Service Animals

• Service animals accompanying a customer with disabilities shall be permitted entry to all Samco Machinery facilities and meeting rooms that are open to the public or other third parties, unless the service animal is otherwise excluded by law.
• If it is not readily apparent that the animal is a service animal, Samco Machinery may ask the customer with a disability to provide a letter from a physician or nurse confirming that the person requires the animal for reasons relating to the customer’s disability.
• It is the responsibility of the customer using the service animal to ensure that the service animal is kept in control at all times.
• Samco Machinery’s employees will receive training on how to interact with customers with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.
• In the rare case where Samco Machinery cannot permit a service animal access to a facility or meeting room, other accommodations may be provided to the customer such as: alternate meeting format, e.g. teleconference where technology permits; delivery of goods or service at an alternate time or location; other assistive measures available to deliver a good or service to ensure equality of outcome.

Assistive Devices

Customers with disabilities are permitted, where possible, to use their own assistive devices when on Samco Machinery’s premises for the purposes of obtaining our services. Exceptions may occur in situations where Samco Machinery has determined that the assistive device may pose a risk to the health and safety of another person with a disability or the health and safety of others on our premises.

If there is a physical, technological or other type of barrier that prevents the use of an assistive device on our premises, we will first endeavour to remove that barrier. If we are not able to remove the barrier, we will ask the customer how he/she can be accommodated and what alternative methods of service would be more accessible to him/her. We will make best efforts to provide an alternative means of accessibility to the customer.
It should be noted that it is the responsibility of the person with a disability to ensure that his or her assistive device is operated in a safe and controlled manner at all times.

Support Persons

Samco Machinery is committed to welcoming customers with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any customer with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Samco Machinery’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a customer with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on the Samco Machinery premises.
Where appropriate, support persons may be required to acknowledge that it is the customer, and not the support person, to whom Samco Machinery is providing its services.

Temporary Disruptions to Facilities or Services

In the event that a temporary service disruption occurs that would limit a customer with a disability from gaining access to Samco Machinery facilities, goods or services, Samco Machinery will make the disruption known to customers in the following ways:

• Samco Machinery will post notice of the service disruption on premises in the area where the service disruption has occurred
• Notice may notify customers of the service disruption by means of recorded message, posting on the Samco Machinery website or other reasonable means in the circumstances.

In the event of an unexpected service disruption, notice will be provided as soon as possible. Notices will include information about the nature of the disruption, the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration.

Training and Records

Samco Machinery will provide training as required under the AODA to all of Samco Machinery’s staff to whom this policy applies as well as to those persons charged with developing this policy and related procedures and practices. Training will include:

• An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard.
• Samco Machinery Ltd. plan in relation to the Act and Customer Service
• How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disabilities who may require the use of  an assistive device, service animal, support person
• How to use equipment or devices, where provided and available on-site or elsewhere that may help provide support to a person with disabilities.
• How to assist when a person with disabilities is having difficulties accessing our services
• Any changes or amendments that are made to the plan
• Training records will be kept and maintained in accordance with the requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (O. Reg. 429/07).

Our Commitment:

Samco Machinery will ensure that all policies respect and promote the dignity and independence of persons with disabilities.  All documentation required now and in future under the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service will be made available upon request.

Feedback

Clients or others that receive services from Samco Machinery Ltd. and their employees may provide feedback directly to the person providing the service, or alternately may provide feedback using one of the following methods:
Telephone: 416-285-0619 Ext.308 – Human Resources Accessibility Coordinator
Facsimile: 416-285-1353
E-mail: accessibility@samco-machinery.com
Mail: 351 Passmore Avenue Toronto, Ontario M1V 3N8
Attn: Human Resources, Accessibility Coordinator

Samco Machinery Ltd. commits to responding to all feedback within 30 days, using a manner that respects the specific needs of the person requesting the feedback.