On January 1, 2012 two requirements under the Integrated Accessibility Standards Regulation (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005) dealing with emergency preparedness came into effect:
- Hospitals that prepare emergency procedures, plans or public safety information and make it available to the public must provide that information in an accessible format or with appropriate communications supports, upon request.
- If hospitals have employees with disabilities, they must now provide them with individualized emergency response information, if necessary.
The Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO) has released two resources to help organizations (including hospitals) meet these requirements. Providing emergency response information for employees with disabilities and Accessibility Standard for Information and Communication: Providing emergency and public safety information for people with disabilities. These booklets outline suggested steps that hospitals can take to prepare these plans, as well as tips on how to support employees with disabilities who may need help during an emergency.
Additional resources from the ADO can be found on the AccessON website.
The OHA also has also produced a number of AODA related products for hospitals:
- Backgrounder on hospital requirements under the IASR. This document contains a brief overview of upcoming hospital requirements and a summary table of hospital requirements under the IASR and compliance dates.
- Webcast titled “Update on Upcoming Requirements for Hospitals Under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act”. The archived webcast can be purchased by clicking here.
For more information, please contact Alissa Raphael, Legislative Advisor, at 416.205.1356 or araphael@oha.com.