Since the enactment of the Americans with Disabilities Act in 1989, businesses have been required to ensure that their buildings—and now buildings—are
ADA compliant. Companies may find it exceedingly challenging to keep up with the many state and federal rules surrounding ADA compliance, as well as modifications and revisions to legislation.
There are several reasons for worry for your businesses. A fresh wave of litigation targeting business buildings has emerged in 2016, with
ADA-related cases seeing a 24% increase. How can you safeguard yourself and your company? By collaborating with an ADA expert who is familiar with the legislation and can defend your business in ADA-related cases. Find out how to choose an ADA consultant who perfectly suits the requirements of your company by reading on.
Why Is a Consultant for the ADA Important?
The parts of the Americans with Disabilities Act that deal with recruiting and providing reasonable accommodations to workers with disabilities are presumably already familiar to you. You must ensure that persons with disabilities have the same access to public areas as everyone if you own a retail establishment or any other form of company that interacts with the general public. Buildings go under this as well.
You are aware that you need a building in order to do business or promote your company. You can't rely on your web developer to be knowledgeable about the most recent rules and legislation. Even if they construct your building well and are knowledgeable in programming, it is ultimately your obligation to ensure that it is accessible to everyone. Government entities must provide equitable access to their facilities, including their buildings. Not only are there legal repercussions, but you are also alienating a consumer base by not keeping your building up and accessible. It's also morally correct to do so.
What to Consider Before Hiring an ADA Consultant?
How do you go about engaging an ADA consultant now that you know why doing so is crucial? Finding out what qualities an ADA consultant should have been a good place to start.
Requirements
An
ADA consultant may be obtained in a variety of ways. Make sure the consultant you choose has the training and experience necessary to benefit your business. The consultant will be current on changes in laws and regulations if they are a member of a professional organization like the International Association of Accessibility Professionals.
The skill and understanding of an ADA consultant to ensure that your site is completely compliant may be determined by looking at their extensive list of qualifications and professional affiliations.
Comprehensive knowledge of WCAG
The lack of federal legislation that specify how your building may be brought up to date and made ADA accessible is one of the reasons why buildings might be a legal grey area. The
Online Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), which provide standards for web accessibility, are extensively utilized by web professionals and ADA consultants alike.
They must be well familiar with these rules. Alt-text for photos is only one aspect of accessibility. Accessibility requirements can apply to color, font size, documents, and media. Document accessibility is among the ADA's most underappreciated provisions. If your company offers brochures or pricing sheets for downloading, you must also make accessible PDFs available.
Case Studies and Customer References
Your building's ADA accessibility team must have a proven track record of accomplishment. Make sure they have a good reputation before hiring them. By requesting references and case studies, you may be certain that your expert is respectable. They will be able to demonstrate how they dealt with problems on buildings identical to yours and made them ADA compliant using WCAG criteria.
They Use a Process That Is Effective
Make sure the ADA consultant's methodology is one you can comprehend before hiring them. This establishes the standards for you as the customer. Additionally, it might assist you in setting benchmarks as you work to upgrade your building.
A thorough audit, for instance, might be used to identify your demands and liabilities. The two of you will then cooperate to find a solution, whether it involves updating your PDF files or altering the building's color scheme. Additionally, they may collaborate with your personnel to guarantee that any adjustments to the building of your company are accessible.
Do They Understand the Special Needs of Your Organization?
Both your company and the visitors to your building are distinctive. You may run a travel building that depends on online reservations, or you might run an online store. Does your consultant comprehend the special requirements of your company while ensuring that your building complies with ADA standards at the same time?
What you actually need in an ADA consultant is that. Whether you work for the government or a hotel, you want to collaborate with someone who has a ton of expertise in your field.
Final words
Now you have a clear understanding about the importance of hiring accessibility consultancy services. You are also aware about some of the most useful tips that you can follow to pick one of the trusted accessibility consultancy services out there. Make sure that you pick the right services provider, and you will be able to end up with making your building highly accessible.
Making your building accessible to all users is more crucial than ever as more and more people turn to the internet for information. You may win over your clients' trust by demonstrating your concern for each and every one of them. Additionally, you'll defend your company against the onslaught of lawsuits that are being brought against businesses without compliant buildings.