Accessibility and Customer Service Policy Statement:
Providing Goods and Services to People with Disabilities

The following policy, practices and procedures have been established by Ingersoll Paper Box to govern the provision of its services in accordance with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) and Regulation 429/07,“Accessibility Standards for Customer Service.”  In general, the AODA ensures that companies deliver service in a way that preserves the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. SPECIFIC policy outlines can be found after Customer Service Policy Statement.

Requirements under the OADA, regulation 429/07

1. Establish policies, practices and procedures on providing goods or services to people with disabilities.

2. Set a policy on allowing people to use their own personal assistive devices to access your goods and use your services and about any other measures your organization offers (assistive devices, services or methods) to enable them to access your good and use your services.

3. Use reasonable efforts to ensure that policies, practices and procedures are consistent with the core principles of independence, dignity, integration and equality of opportunity.

4. Communicate with a person with a disability in a manner that takes into account his or her disability.

5. Train staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who interact with public or other third parties on your behalf on a number of topics as outlined in the customer service standard.

6. Train staff, volunteers, contractors and any other people who are involved in developing your policies, practices and procedures on the provision of goods or services on a number of topics as outlines in the customer service standard.

7. Allow people with disabilities to be accompanies by their guide dog or service animal in those areas of the premises you own or operate that are open to the public, unless the animal is excluded by anotherIf a service animal is excluded by law, use other measures to provide services to the person with a disability.

8. Permit people with disabilities who use a support person to bring that person with them while accessing goods or services in premises open to the public or third parties.

9. Where admission fees are charged, provide notice ahead of time on what admission, if any, would be charged for a support person of a person with a disability.

10. Provide notice when facilities or services that people with disabilities rely on to access or use your goods or services are temporarily disrupted.

11. Establish a process for people to provide feedback on how you provide goods or service to people with disabilities and how you will respond to any feedback and take action on anyMake the information about your feedback process readily available to the public.

1.  Our mission

The mission of Ingersoll Paper Box it to ensure that its policies, practices and procedures for the provision of its services are consistent with the principles outlined in the Accessibility Standards for Customer Service to effectively provide services to people with disabilities.

2.  Our commitment

In fulfilling our mission, Ingersoll Paper Box strives at all times to provide its goods and services in a way that respects the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. We are also committed to giving people with disabilities the same opportunity to access our goods and services and allowing them to benefit from the same services, in the same place and in a similar way as other customers.

3.  Providing goods and services to people with disabilities

Ingersoll Paper Box is committed to excellence in serving all customers including people with disabilities and we will carry out our functions and responsibilities in the following areas:

3.1 Communication

We will train staff who communicate with customers on how to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities.

Ingersoll Paper Box will communicate with people with disabilities in ways that take into account their disability.  We will work with the person with a disability to determine what method of communication works for them.  And communicate in that manner.  This includes Ingersoll Paper Box website.  To achieve the obligations under the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (AODA) Ingersoll Paper Box incorporated the following web design recommendations from the international accessible standards WCAG to ensure our website follows W3C guidelines ensuring accessibility.  *Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) is developed through the W3C process in cooperation with individuals and organizations around the world, with a goal of providing a single shared standard for web content accessibility that meets the needs of individual, organization, and government internationally.  It explains how to make web content more accessible to people with disabilities.)  The website was reviewed and updated using “WAVE” and international standard and web accessibility evaluation tool. 

Ingersoll Paper Box has designed its website for blind/visually impaired, deaf, disabled & dyslexic visitors and customers.

Design of Ingersoll Paper Box website for blind and visually impaired users.

Ingersoll Paper Box recognizes that people with visual disabilities are individuals who are blind, have low vision, or have color blindness.  We accommodated people who are blind by providing text equivalents for the images used on the Web page, as they and their assistive screen reader technology cannot obtain the information from the image.  We understand that  a person who has a visual disability will not find the mouse useful because it requires hand and eye coordination.  Instead, this person must navigate the Web page using only the keyboard.

Ingersoll Paper Box applied the following general principles when designing our website for blind or visually impaired users, but are just as relevant to all groups:

1. Provided text equivalents for all non-text objects on the page – speech synthesizes can’t read graphics, and graphic text can’t be enlarged in the same way as ordinary text.
2. All graphics have text labels, i.e. alternative attributes in HTMS (Hyper Text Mark-up Language).
3. We ensured we did not design pages in a way that stops the user from setting their own browser preferences, i.e. don’t specify exact sizes for fonts or layouts – design everything in relative sizes.
4. Used descriptive Titles for every page.
5. Used valid HTML – We ensured that we have included a layout program that depends on the use of standard HTML allowing high accessibility of Ingersoll Paper Box’s Website.
6. We tried to avoid using graphics of text, since users can’t change the text and background colours when text is presented in this way.

Designed for Deaf/Hard of Hearing Visitors

Ingersoll Paper Box acknowledges many deaf or hard of hearing people – particularly is they are sing-language users – do not have highly developed reading skills.  Sign language is a different language from standard written English.  Some people who use sign language therefore have a limited reading vocabulary.  Consequently we chose simple, clear language to ensure that deaf or hard of hearing people can access Ingersoll Paper Box’s information on our web pages.

Designed for Mobility or Physically Impaired People

Ingersoll Paper Box ensured accessibility for people who have difficulty using their hands or whose hand/eye co-ordination is restricted.  We incorporated the following guidelines to improve access.

• Provision of buttons rather than text for navigation to provide a larger “target” for links.
• Clear consistent layouts and navigation.
• Acknowledged and built a website that supports the fact that not everybody can use a mouse.

Ingersoll Paper Box’s final assurance of an accessible website includes:

1. Provided Alt Text for all images, and alternative content for all other media.
2. Used eternal CSS for styling and layout and HTML for document structure.
3. Associated table headers with table cells, and use tables only forInclude a table summary.
4. Provided a skip links option to let a user skip repetitive content.
5. Did not use flash, frames or tables for layout purposes.
6. Designed for deviceDo not require a mouse and do not require java script to activate links, etc.
7. Used simple language on website, and specify the language used.
8. Make sure colours and fonts contrast sufficiently.
9. Did not mix a font size on website.
10. Used a fluid layout. 

3.2 Telephone services

We are committed to providing fully accessible telephone service to our customers. We will train staff to communicate with customers over the telephone in clear and plain language and to speak clearly and slowly.

We will offer to communicate with customers by email if telephone communication is not suitable to their communication needs or is not available.

3.3 Assistive devices

We are committed to serving people with disabilities who use assistive devices to obtain, use or benefit from our goods and services. We will ensure that our staff is trained and familiar with various assistive devices that may be used by customers with disabilities while accessing our goods or services.

Should an individual with a disability be unable to access our goods and services through the use of their own  personal assistive device, we will determine if service is inaccessible, based upon the individual requirements, assess service delivery and potential service options to meet the needs of the individual.

3.4 Billing

We are committed to providing accessible invoices to all of our customers. For this reason, invoices will be provided in hard copy, large print or email.  

We will answer any questions customers may have about the content of the invoice by telephone or e-mail.

4. Use of service animals and support persons

Visitors to the location are by appointment only.  We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal on the parts of our premises that do not pose a safety concern in regards to the regulations stipulated by Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and FDA requirements.  We will also ensure that all staff dealing with the public is properly trained in how to interact with people with disabilities who are accompanied by a service animal.  Due to safety concerns and the regulations stipulated by Health Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and FDA requirements, service animals are not permitted on the production floor.

We are committed to welcoming people with disabilities who are accompanied by a support person. Any person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person will be allowed to enter Ingersoll Paper Box’s premises with his or her support person. At no time will a person with a disability who is accompanied by a support person be prevented from having access to his or her support person while on our premises.

5. Notice of temporary disruption

Ingersoll Paper Box will provide customers with scheduled appointments, notice in the event of a planned or unexpected disruption in the facilities or services usually used by people with disabilities. This notice will include information about the reason for the disruption, its anticipated duration, and a description of alternative facilities or services, if available.

The notice will be placed at all public entrances and the shipping location on our premises.

6. Training for staff

Ingersoll Paper Box will provide training to all employees, volunteers and others who deal with the public or other third parties on their behalf, and all those who are involved in the development and approvals of customer service policies, practices and procedures. Individuals in the following positions will be trained:

All management positions and office positions which would interface with the customer.  

This training will be provided within the first week of employment and will be refreshed on a bi-annual basis.

Training will include the following:

• The purposes of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 and the requirements of the customer service standard
• How to interact and communicate with people with various types of disabilities
• How to interact with people with disabilities who use an assistive device or require the assistance of a service animal or a support person
• What to do if a person with a disability is having difficulty in accessing Ingersoll Paper Box’s goods and services
• Ingersoll Paper Box’s policies, practices and procedures relating to the customer service standard.

Applicable staff will be trained on policies, practices and procedures that affect the way goods and services are provided to people with disabilities. Staff will also be trained on an ongoing basis when changes are made to these policies, practices and procedures.

7. Feedback process

The ultimate goal of Ingersoll Paper Box is to meet and surpass customer expectations while serving customers with disabilities. Comments on our services regarding how well those expectations are being met are welcome and appreciated.

Feedback regarding the way Ingersoll Paper Box provides goods and services to people with disabilities can be made by notifying This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. by e-mail..  Customers can expect to hear back in 15 business days.

8. Modifications to this or other policies

We are committed to developing customer service policies that respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities. Therefore, no changes will be made to this policy before considering the impact on people with disabilities.

Any policy of Ingersoll Paper Box that does not respect and promote the dignity and independence of people with disabilities will be modified or removed.

9. Questions about this policy

This policy exists to achieve service excellence to customers with disabilities. If anyone has a question about the policy, or if the purpose of a policy is not understood, an explanation should be provided by, or referred to, Sarah Skinner, President.

10.  Additional Tips and Strategies

Providing Customer Service for Persons with Disabilities

The following is an excerpt from the Ministry of Community and Social Services [http://www.mcss.gov.on.ca/mcss/english/howto_choose.htm]

Physical:  There are many types and degrees of physical disabilities and not all require a wheelchair. People who have arthritis, heart or lung conditions or amputations may also have difficulty with moving, standing or sitting. It may be difficult to identify a person with a physical disability.

Here are some tips on welcoming people who have physical disabilities:

• Speak normally and directly to your customer. Don't speak to the person who is with them.
• People with physical disabilities often have their own ways of doing things. Ask before you help.
• Be patient. People will identify their needs to you.
• Don't touch assistive devices, including wheelchairs, unnecessarily unless it's an emergency.
• Provide the person information about accessible features of the immediate environment (automatic doors, accessible washrooms, etc.).
• Remove obstacles and rearrange furniture to give them clear passage.

Visual:  Vision disabilities reduce a person's ability to see clearly. Very few people are totally blind. Many have limited vision such as tunnel vision, where a person has a loss of peripheral or side vision, or a lack of central vision, which means they cannot see straight ahead. Some can see the outline of objects while others can see the direction of light.

Vision disabilities can restrict a person's abilities to:

• read signs
• locate landmarks, or
• see hazards.

It may be difficult to tell if a person has a vision disability. Some people with vision disabilities use a service animal or a white cane. Others may not.

Tips on welcoming people with vision disabilities:

• Identify yourself when you approach the person and speak directly to them.
• Speak normally and clearly.
• Never touch the person without asking permission, unless it's an emergency.
• If you offer assistance, wait until your receive permission.
• Offer your arm (the elbow) to guide the person and walk slowly.
• Don't touch or address service animals — they are working and have to pay attention at all times.
• If you're giving directions or verbal information, be precise and clear. For example, if you're approaching a door or an obstacle, say so.
• Don't just assume the person can't see you.
• Don't leave the person in the middle of a room. Show them to a chair, or guide them to a comfortable location.
• Identify landmarks or other details to orient the person to the environment around them.
• Don't walk away without saying good-bye.
• Be patient. Things may take a little longer.

Hearing Disabilities:  People who have hearing loss may be Deaf or hard of hearing. Like other disabilities, hearing loss has a wide variety of degrees. Some people who are Deaf or hard of hearing may use assistive devices to communicate.

Tips on welcoming people who are Deaf or hard of hearing:

• Always ask how you can help. Don't shout.
• Attract the person's attention before speaking. The best way is a gentle touch on the shoulder or gently waving your hand.
• Make sure you are in a well-lighted area where the person can see your face.
• Look at and speak directly to the person. Address them, not their interpreter.
• If necessary, ask if another method of communicating would be easier, for example a pen and paper.
• Don't put your hands in front of your face when speaking.
• Be clear and precise when giving directions, and repeat or rephrase if necessary. Make sure you have been understood.
• Don't touch or address service animals — they are working and have to pay attention at all times.
• Any personal (e.g., financial) matters should be discussed in a private room to avoid other people overhearing.
• Be patient. Communication for people who are deaf may be different because their first language may not be English. It may be American Sign Language (ASL) or Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ).
• If the person uses a hearing aid, try to speak in a quiet area. Background noise can be distracting.

Speech or language impairments:  Some people have problems communicating. It could be due to cerebral palsy, hearing loss, or another condition that:

• makes it difficult to pronounce words
• causes slurring or stuttering
• prevents someone from expressing themselves or understanding written or spoken language.

Some people who have severe difficulties may use communication boards or other assistive devices.

Here are some tips on welcoming people with speech or language impairments:

• Just because a person has one disability doesn't mean they have another. For example, if a person has difficulty speaking, don't assume they have an intellectual or developmental disability as well.
• If you don't understand, ask the person to repeat the information.
• If you are able, ask questions that can be answered 'yes' or 'no'.
• Be patient and polite, and give the person whatever time they need to get their point across.
• Don't interrupt or finish the person's sentences. Wait for them to finish.
• Patience, respect and a willingness to find a way to communicate are your best tools.

Mental health disabilities:  People with mental health disabilities look like anyone else. You won't know that a person has a mental health disability unless you're informed of it.

Usually it will not affect how you interact with the person. But if someone is experiencing difficulty in controlling their symptoms or is in a crisis, you may need to help out. Be calm and professional and let the person tell you how you can best help.

Here are some tips on welcoming people who have mental health disabilities:

• Treat a person with a mental health disability with the same respect and consideration you have for everyone else.
• Be confident and reassuring. Listen carefully and work with the person to meet their needs.
• If someone appears to be in a crisis, ask them to tell you the best way to help.

Intellectual or developmental disabilities:  People with intellectual or developmental disabilities may have difficulty doing many things most of us take for granted. These disabilities can mildly or profoundly limit their ability to learn. You may not be able to know that someone has this disability unless you are told, or you notice the way they act, ask questions or use body language.

As much as possible, treat people with an intellectual or developmental disability like anyone else. They may understand more than you think, and they will appreciate your treating them with respect.

Here are some tips on welcoming people who have an intellectual or developmental disability:

• Don't assume what a person can or cannot do.
• Use plain language and speak in short sentences.
• Make sure the person understands what you've said.
• If you can't understand what's being said, don't pretend. Just ask again.
• Provide one piece of information at a time.
• Be supportive and patient.
• Speak directly to the person, not to their companion or attendant.

Learning disabilities:  Learning disabilities can cause many different communications difficulties for people. The difficulties can vary in degree, but they all can interfere with a person's ability to receive, express, or process information. You may not be able to know that someone has one of these disabilities unless you are told, or you notice how people act, ask questions or use body language.

Here are some tips on welcoming people with learning disabilities:

• Patience and a willingness to find a way to communicate are your best tools.
• When you know that someone with a learning disability needs help, ask how you can best help.
• Speak normally and clearly, and directly to the person.
• Take some time — people with some kinds of learning disabilities may take a little longer to understand and respond.
• Try to find ways to provide information in a way that works best for them. For example, have a paper and pen handy.
• If you're dealing with a child, be patient, encouraging and supportive.
• Be courteous and patient. The person will let you know how to best provide service in a way that works for them.

How to talk to people with disabilities on the phone:

Here are some tips on talking to people with disabilities on the phone:

• Speak normally, clearly and directly.
• Don't worry about how their voice sounds. Concentrate on what's being said.
• Be patient, don't interrupt and don't finish your customer's sentences. Give the person time to explain themselves.
• Don't try to guess what the person is trying to say. If you don't understand, don't pretend. Just ask again.
• If you're not certain what the person said, just repeat or rephrase what you've heard.
• If the person is using an interpreter or a TTY line, just speak normally to the person, not to the interpreter.
• If the person has great difficulty communicating, make arrangements to call back when it's convenient to speak with someone else.