Safety Planning Must Include Workers with Disabilities
Question: You've recently joined a new organization and one of your first responsibilities is to review and update its emergency plan. You know that not all disabilities are immediately apparent, and you don't want to wait until an employee with an obvious disability is hired before developing an action plan. What should you consider in developing an emergency evacuation plan for workers with disabilities?
Answer: Prevention is the first step in protecting workers with disabilities, as well as other workers, from safety hazards. Safety features required by building codes should not only be installed but should be carefully maintained. Proper planning can also help save a life. Here are some things to consider when planning for the evacuation of workers with disabilities.
Heed the concerns of workers with disabilities. Persons with disabilities have three basic concerns about their safety:
- that employers not use the risk of disaster as an excuse for excluding them from working;
- that the level of safety provided persons with disabilities be equal to that traditionally provided able-bodied persons; and
- that the unique difficulties that they may have in a life-threatening situation be anticipated and dealt with before the fact.
Coordinated planning. Consult with, and coordinate with, local agencies such as the fire department or other emergency services. Workers with disabilities should participate in the planning. After all, who is more likely to better know their needs?
Evacuation assistance. When fire or disaster strikes a multi-story building, elevators cannot generally be used by fleeing occupants. Special care must be taken to help those persons whose disabilities create an obstacle to the use of the stairs.
Buddy system. Coworkers should be assigned and trained to help individuals with a disability flee the building when an emergency occurs. These pre-selected persons are frequently referred to as buddies or monitors. Alternates should also be named to assume the responsibility during the absence of the normally designated buddy.
Lifting and carrying techniques. If several strong persons are available, workers using a wheelchair may be transported down stairs, wheelchair and all. However, there will be instances when non-ambulatory persons will have to forsake their wheelchairs during an emergency evacuation. Consult with safety officials to determine the best method for transporting each employee, if necessary, without his or her wheelchair. Techniques that are safe vary depending upon the size, weight, degree of mobility, etc., of the worker with a disability.
Communications limitations. Deafness or other hearing limitations are other disabilities that must be taken into consideration during an emergency.
- Assigned buddies should have pre-determined hand gestures, facial expressions and/or body language to get the message across.
- Use a backup prop, such as a card with the symbol of fire imprinted on it.
- Audio warning signal systems should be supplemented with visual or other sensory information.
- Supervisors and coworkers can be encouraged to take sign language instruction.
Visual limitations. Workers with a visual disability may be independent in an emergency situation, or they may be totally dependent on a buddy to lead them to safety. Remember that even if a worker uses a guide dog, the dog may become disoriented in smoke or other emergency situations. Prior consultation and practice with each employee will determine what assistance may be needed under specific circumstances.
- Evacuation instructions can be furnished in Braille, in large type, on tape or CD, orally, or by a combination of methods. Oral instructions should only be used, however, if all workers are treated similarly (i.e., if sighted workers receive written instructions, blind employees should also receive their instructions through a more permanent medium than oral communication, such as Braille).
- In some instances, acoustical and tactile cues along the exit route may be valuable. For example, tape or other tactile material such as a border placed along the corridor walls can serve as a series of directional "feelers" for sighted as well as visually impaired employees. In a smoke-filled, multi-storied building without interior lighting, all employees will be visually impaired.
- Alarms placed intermittently along the escape route can also provide a succession of sounds leading to safety.
Drills. Employees with disabilities should be included in all evacuation drills. Participation gives practice in evacuation techniques and provides an extra measure of confidence. When adopting emergency procedures, address all types of disabilities even though, at the time the procedures are designed, there are no employees with one or more of the specific disabilities. In emergency situations, it is much better to be prepared for the unexpected, such as a new employee or a visitor/customer, than not to be prepared. An individual's life may be protected with comprehensive planning.
Source: CCH HR Answers Now, a product of Wolters Kluwer Law & Business.
<p>Heed the concerns of workers with disabilities. Persons with disabilities have three basic concerns about their safety.</p>