Workplace Health and Safety for Uniquely-Abled Employees

— June 6, 2018

Occupational health and safety should be a priority in all organizations. It’s important that you adopt measures to ensure that differently-abled employees can work safely in your organization.

Many employees feel concerned that uniquely-abled people present a health and safety risk to themselves and others at the workplace. But the truth is, uniquely-abled people are more aware of the environment around them than their neuro-typical peers, and prefer to work in places where they feel confident about their unique abilities.

No organization can discriminate on health and safety issues of employees on the basis of their abilities. Emergency response, hazard management, and accident reporting systems are all part of the workplace health and safety apparatus.

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Here’s what you can do to ensure better workplace health and safety for your employees.

Discuss workplace health and safety issues with your uniquely-abled employees. Ask if there are any particular elements in the workplace which may cause problems in case of an emergency. Reduce clutter in the workplace as that reduces mobility of all employees. Fluorescent lights often cause problems for people with epilepsy.

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Carry out a workplace assessment for all your staff with an ergonomic consultant, occupational therapist, or other professionals. They will help your employees in assessing potential risks, using assistive equipment, and quick response.
Check out the emergency evacuation procedure in your office. Ensure everybody is aware of them. Wheelchair users and other differently-abled employees need a clear accessible exit route for evacuation.

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