Accessibility Plan and Policies
POLAR PAK BRAMPTON ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
This 2014-21 accessibility plan outlines the policies and actions that POLAR PAK INC. will put in place to improve opportunities for people with disabilities at its facilities in Brampton, Ontario. POLAR PAK is committed to ensuring that it will:
- Post this plan on its website (www.polarpak.ca)
- Provide this plan in an accessible format, upon request;
- Review and update this plan at least once every five years
Statement of Commitment
POLAR PAK® is committed to treating all people in a way that allows them to maintain their dignity and independence. We believe in integration and equal opportunity. We are committed to meeting the needs of people with disabilities in a timely manner, and will do so by preventing and removing barriers to accessibility and meeting accessibility requirements under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act.
Accessible Emergency Information
POLAR PAK facilities are typically not open to the public. Should any area of the facility be temporarily open to the public at any point, accommodations as listed in the Customer Service policy will be provided to people with disabilities. We will also provide employees with disabilities with individualized emergency response information when necessary.
AODA Customer Service Training
Actions Taken
All POLAR PAK employees, volunteers and third parties providing goods and services to members of the Ontario public, on POLAR PAK Inc. on behalf, as well as those who develop the policies, practices and procedures governing the provision of goods or services to members of the public or other third parties will receive accessibility training as it pertains to the purpose and requirements of the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service (Ontario Regulation 429/07).
This training includes:
- An overview of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
- How to interact and communicate with persons with various types of disability
- How to interact with persons with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a guide dog or other service animal or the assistance of a support person
- What to do if a person with a particular type of disability is having difficulty accessing our goods or services
AODA Integrated Standards Training
Actions Taken
All POLAR PAK employees in Ontario have been trained on the requirements of AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards (Ontario Regulation 191/11), and on POLAR PAK’s Accessibility Policy. The training provided is appropriate to the duties of the employee, volunteer or third party.
Training shall take place within the first week of employment as part of the Health & Safety Orientation. Upon completion, POLAR PAK shall keep a record of the training provided including the dates on which accessibility training took place.
Information and communication Support Standards
Communication:
When communicating with a person with a disability, POLAR PAK employees, volunteers and third party contractors shall do so in a manner that takes into account the person’s disability and maintains their dignity and respect.
Terminology
When referring to people with disabilities, POLAR PAK employees, volunteers and third party contractors shall use terminology that maintains a respectful and inclusive environment.
| Do Not Say | Perferred Terminology |
|---|---|
| Special needs | Person with specific requirements |
| Disabled, handicapped | Person with disabilities |
| Caregiver | Personal support worker |
| Disabled Parking | Accessible Parking |
Accessible Websites and Web Content
Internet websites and web content controlled directly by POLAR PAK or through a contractual relationship that allows for modification of the product shall conform to the World Wide Web Consortium Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, at Level A and AA in accordance with the schedule set out in the AODA Integrated Accessibility Standards.
Employment Standards
POLAR PAK aims to provide fair and accessible employment practices to all its prospective and current employees. As a result, we are committed to working towards meeting the legislative requirements as it relates to preventing and removing barriers to accessibility in the workplace and providing everyone, including employees and representatives with disabilities access to the same opportunities.
POLAR PAK ensured that all employment standards met accessibility requirements by January 1, 2016. We took the following steps in three major areas of employment standards: Recruitment, Accommodations for Staff and Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment.
Recruitment
POLAR PAK shall post information about the availability of accommodations for applicants with disabilities in its recruitment process (job postings, job fairs, etc.). Job applicants who are individually selected for an interview and/or testing shall be notified that accommodations for material to be used in the process are available, upon request. POLAR PAK shall consult with any applicant who requests an accommodation in a manner that takes into account the applicant’s disability. Successful applicants shall be notified about POLAR PAK’s policy for accommodating employees with disabilities as part of their offer of employment.
Employee Supports
POLAR PAK will inform employees of the policies used to support employees with disabilities, including policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability. POLAR PAK will provide this information to new employees as soon as practicable after they begin their employment and provide updated information to all employees whenever there is a change to existing policies on the provision of job accommodations that take into account an employee’s accessibility needs due to disability.
Accessible Formats and Communication Supports for Employee
Upon an employee’s request, POLAR PAK shall consult with the employee to provide or arrange for the provision of accessible formats and communication supports for information that is needed in order to perform the employee’s job and for information that is generally available to employees in the workplace.
POLAR PAK will consult with the employee making the request in determining the suitability of an accessible format or communication support.
Workplace Emergency Response Information
If an employee’s disability is such that accommodation is required through the workplace Emergency Response Plan, and POLAR PAK is aware of the need for accommodation, this information shall be provided to the employee, and with the employee’s consent, to the person designated to provide assistance. The information shall undergo review when the employee moves to a different location, when the employee’s overall accommodation needs or plans are reviewed, when Management reviews the Emergency Response Plan or when during an evacuation drill it was noted that the current procedures were not sufficient.
Documented Individual Accommodation Plans
A written process for the development and maintenance of documented individual accommodation plans shall be developed for employees with disabilities, if requested. These plans shall include information regarding accessible formats and communications supports. If requested, the plans shall include individualized workplace emergency response information.
Return to Work Process
POLAR PAK has in place a documented Return to Work process for employees returning to work due to disability and requiring disability-related accommodations. This return to work process outlines the steps that POLAR PAK shall take to facilitate the return to work and will include the following steps:
- Developing a written plan that outlines the steps required to help facilitate the return to work; and;
- Ensuring that any return to work plan takes into consideration an individual accommodation plan, where one exists.
- Performance Management, Career Development and Redeployment
POLAR PAK shall take into account the accessibility needs of its employees with disabilities as well as any individual accommodation plans when providing career development, performance management and when considering redeployment.
Transportation Standards
POLAR PAK does not own or operate any public transportation services in the province of Ontario.
Built Environment Standards
POLAR PAK does not own or maintain any public spaces in the province of Ontario. The POLAR PAK manufacturing facilities and offices in Ontario are built in accordance with the Ontario Building code.
For more information on this accessibility plan, please contact:
HR Department
905-792-3000 ext. 228
hrbrampton@polarpak.ca
