JAN is a service of the U.S. Department of Labor’s Office of Disability Employment Policy.

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Accommodating Employees with Mobility Impairments

Burr Corley, MSW, Consultant

Eddie Whidden, M.A., Senior Consultant

Objectives JAN Overview Accommodations for Mobility Impairments Emergency Evacuation Questions

Mobility Impairments in the Workplace

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Mobility Impairments in the Workplace

Accessing the work site Accessing the work space Accessing information technology Maintaining balance Sitting for prolonged periods Standing Walking Lifting materials Carrying and moving materials Lifting people Driving or operating vehicles

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Mobility Impairments in the Workplace

Install automatic door openers Accessible door handles Modify the building to make it accessible

Ramps Chair lifts Stair lifts Elevators

Accessing the Worksite

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Moving employee to accessible location Providing Mobility Devices

Scooter Wheelchair

Manual Powered All-Terrain

Accessing the Worksite

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Providing Emergency Evacuation Mobility Aids

Accessing the Worksite

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Providing accessible route of travel Modifying workstation to make it accessible

Ergonomic Chairs Articulating keyboard trays and mousing surfaces Foot rests and forearm supports Headsets Slant boards and Copy Holders

Accessing the Workspace

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Provide accessible workstation that allows alternating between sitting and standing Accessible workstations for office settings Accessible workstations for industrial settings

Accessing the Workspace

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Alternative keyboards Alternative mice Speech recognition

Accessing Information Technology

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Provide safety ladders for employees who must use ladders

Allow use of a mobility aid Canes Walkers with seats Rollators Wheelchair Scooter

Maintaining Balance

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Providing adjustable workstation Using Ergonomic Chairs Providing Anti-fatigue matting

Sitting for Prolonged Periods

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Implementing ergonomic principles Monitor Risers Articulating keyboard and mouse trays Foot rests and forearm supports Headsets Lumbar Cushions Copyholders, page turners, and book holders task lighting

Sitting for Prolonged Periods

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Adjustable and Accessible workstations Stand lean stools Anti-fatigue matting Stand-up Wheelchairs Ergo-mates

Standing for Prolonged Periods

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Communicating with email, IM, two-way radios and cell phones

Ergo-Mates Providing or allowing mobility device

Wheelchairs Scooters Walkers and Rollators Canes

Walking

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Job restructuring Compact Lifting devices Adjustable lift tables Vacuum Lifts Mobile cranes Tool balancers and ergonomic

tools

Lifting Materials

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Carts and hand trucks Motorized Carts For carrying material up stairs: stairclimbing

hand trucks

Carrying and Moving Materials

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National Agrability Project

http://www.agrability.org

Lifting and Carrying in Agriculture

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Adjustable and Walk-up changing tables Adjustable examination tables Patient lifts Transfer Aids Independent Living products

Lifting People

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Steering grips Vehicle Cushions Anti vibration seats and wraps Automatic Clutch Hand Controls Pedal extenders Specific Seat Belts and Seat belt extenders Swivel seats and Seat Extenders Lifters and carriers for mobility aids

Driving or Operating Vehicles

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Job Restructuring Modified Schedule Reassignment Telework

Non Product Accommodations

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Legal Requirements Employers are not required to have emergency

evacuation plans under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

If employers covered by the ADA opt to have such plans they are required to include people with disabilities.

Employers who do not have emergency evacuation plans may nonetheless have to address emergency evacuation for employees with disabilities as a reasonable accommodation under Title I of the ADA.

Employers in certain industries may have obligations to develop emergency evacuation plans under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSH Act) or under state and local law.

Emergency Evacuation

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General Accommodations Employers should have emergency alarms and signs

showing the emergency exit routes. These alarms and signs should be accessible and maintained in proper working order.

Employers may want to implement a "buddy system" for all employees. A buddy system involves employees working in teams so they can locate and assist each other in emergencies.

Employers may want to designate areas of rescue assistance. Section 4.3.11 of the Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) (http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.3) specifically addresses areas of rescue assistance.

Emergency Evacuation

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Areas of Rescue Assistance should havean operating phone, cell-phone, TTY, and two-way radio so that emergency services can be contacted; a closing door;supplies that enable individuals to block smoke from entering the room from under the door; a window and something to write with (lipstick, marker) or a "help" sign to alert rescuers that people are in this location; and respirator masks.

Emergency EvacuationAreas of Rescue Assistance

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Employers should remove any physical barriers (boxes, supplies, furniture) to insure a barrier-free route of travel out of the building.

Employers may want to provide heavy gloves to protect individuals' hands from debris when pushing their manual wheelchairs, a patch kit to repair flat tires, and extra batteries for those who use motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Arrangements should also be made to make wheelchairs available after evacuation.

Emergency EvacuationMotor Impairments

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Employers should install lighted fire strobes and other visual or vibrating alerting devices to supplement audible alarms. Lighted strobes should not exceed five flashes per second due to risk of triggering seizures in some individuals. Section 4.28 of the ADAAG (http://www.access-board.gov/adaag/html/adaag.htm#4.28) specifically addresses alarms.

Employers may want to provide alerting devices, vibrating paging devices, wireless communicators, or two-way paging systems to alert individuals with hearing impairments of the need to evacuate.

Emergency EvacuationsSensory Impairments

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Employers should install tactile signage and maps for employees with vision impairments. Braille signage, audible directional signage, and pedestrian systems are also available. These products may benefit other people who must navigate smoke-filled exit routes.

Employers may also want to provide alpha-numeric pagers or other communication devices to individuals with speech impairments so they can communicate with personnel in an emergency.

Emergency EvacuationsSensory Impairments

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Employers should consider ways of communicating with people who have cognitive impairments. For example, some individuals may benefit from pictures of buddies, color coding of escape doors and areas of rescue assistance, and information on tape or CD-ROM.

Employers should consider the effects of training for emergency evacuation. Some individuals with psychiatric impairments benefit from frequent emergency drills, but for others practice drills may trigger anxiety. Notifying employees of upcoming practice drills and allowing them to opt out of participation may be a reasonable accommodation. In this case, another form of training for emergency evacuation procedures may be needed, for example providing detailed written instructions.

Emergency EvacuationCognitive/Psychiatric Impairments

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Disabled Access Credit (DAC) Architectural and Transportation Barrier

Removal Deduction Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC)

Program Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Program http://AskJAN.org/media/tax.html

Tax Incentives

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Questions? AskJAN.org

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Contact (800)526-7234 (V) & (877)781-9403 (TTY) AskJAN.org & jan@askjan.org

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Mobility Impairments in the Workplace