Accessibility as Standard checklist

One in four members are disabled - including members with visible or invisible disabilities and with a hearing impairment, neurodivergent and/or have lived experience of mental illness. The Disabled Members' Standing Committee (DMSC) recognises that access barriers within our workplaces result in members facing difficulties in delivering their professional skills whilst taking an intersectional approach to equality, for all members of our union.

The committee have designed this short review checklist to gather data and anecdotal information on how accessible our education institutions are. Despite there being protections in law, access and accessibility remain an issue that impacts Disabled members both individually and collectively. This checklist aims to increase accessibility in our workplaces, including within physical buildings and virtual learning environments, so that we see 'accessibility as standard'.

The checklist is especially useful for Health & Safety and Equality reps. It helps to improve accountability for accessible workplaces locally as well as providing data that feeds into UCU's national campaigns and forms a basis for branches to pressure employers to act.

The Annual Day of Action for Disability Equality in Education (which usually takes place during Disability History Month - 22 November to 22 December ) is a cornerstone of the DMSC's work.  The DMSC welcomes feedback from members and branches about how we can collectively improve access and inclusion in our workplaces, please email Sharon Russell at srussell@ucu.org.uk with your suggestions.

Nothing About Us, Without Us.

Accessibility as Standard checklist:

Accessibility as standard checklist - full list [347kb]  
Accessibility as standard checklist - full list [284kb]

A. Working Conditions [165kb]  
A. Working Conditions [79kb]

B. Information [175kb]  
B. Information [89kb]

C. Virtual Learning Environment [174kb]  
C. Virtual Learning Environment [80kb]

D. Fixtures and Fittings [180kb] 
D. Fixtures and Fittings [84kb]

E. Doors Entrances including Reception [181kb]  
E. Doors Entrances including Reception [88kb]

F. Ramps Steps and Floors [171kb]  
F. Ramps Steps and Floors [79kb]

G. Lavatories [184kb] 
G. Lavatories [92kb]

H. Evacuation Routes [176kb]  
H. Evacuation Routes [176kb]

I. Car Parking [176kb]  
I. Car Parking [82kb]

J. Auditory Visual [220kb]  
J. Auditory Visual [99kb]

K. Support [170kb]  
K. Support [78kb]