Disability, Health and Safety, Integration of H & S and Equality

1. HEALTH SAFETYand DISABILITY
INTEGRATINGPOLICIES
INTRODUCTION
A dichotomyexistswhenconceptualisationbiasandcognitive biasleadstoa cognitive dissonance
relatedtothe simplisticheuristicmodel of the riskhazardmanagementparadigmcommonly used.
Otherwise knownas;Ihaven’taclue about safetyandriskso I will erronthe side cautionand
althoughIknowit iswrong andfliesinthe face of EqualityandI shoulddo somethingIdonotknow
whatthat somethingisbecause itseemscomplicated comparedtothe genericriskassessmentsbut
no one will be hurt.Ergo itmust be ok, LightdutiesorOffice type dutiesare seldommeasured
againstcapabilityorfroman ergonomicsview.
The medical termsof Fit,unfit,Temporaryunfit,permanentlyunfit orfitwithadjustmentsrarely
give the Line Managersany ideaof what a disabledpersoncanorcannot do
Paradoxicallythismayresultinanincreasedlevel of riskandharmbeingrealisedorbe unlawful,
leavingpeople withdisabilitiesillnessorinjurydisadvantagedinopportunitydemotivatedand
feelingdiscriminatedagainst.
1. Integrationof HealthandsafetypolicieswithEqualitythroughErgonomicsoffersthe
opportunitytotake a broaderapproach whereby healthandsafetyengineeringor
managementsystemssolutionsare designedroundthe individual thiswill be measured
against:
Activity referstothe degree of effortandinterest,aswell asresources,devotedtojobretention
and returnto work.The concept doesnotimplymeasurable'inputs';itis,rather,a barometerof
peopleswillingnesstoengage..
Effectivenessrefersbothtothe quantitative andqualitative effects(intendedandunintended)of
policies,programmesandsoon andto resultsof the interactions(efficiency).Itisrecognisesthat
whatis 'effective'iscontestedamonggovernmentdepartments,enforcementagencies,service
providers,employersandotherworkplace actors,andworkerswithdisabilitiesthemselves.Disabled
workers'perspectivesondesirable outcomesshouldalsobe takenintoconsideration.
Efficiencyreferstothe interactionsbetweenelements,bothwithinandacrossthemes.Itisassumed
that jobretentionismore likelytobe achievedif elementssuchashealthandsafetyandEquality
worktogethermore efficiently.Itisalsoassumedthatmore efficientsystemswillbe lesscostly
Equity referstothe coverage withinthe systemof sub-populationsof disabledworkers.Itis
assumedthateffectiveandefficientpoliciesandpracticesmustalsobe equitable (orfair) andto
howpoliciesandpracticesimpactondisabledworkersdependingontype of disabilityandretaining
workerswithnewlyacquired/diagnosedimpairments.

2. 2. How dopoliciesandpracticesinteract?
There isoftena dichotomy between Equality policiesdesignedtopromote jobretentionandreturn
to workand frommore broadly-basedHealthand Safetypolicies, theirsuccessmaybe impededby
conflictingpoliciesorpracticesor byinadequate linkstootherprogrammes,servicesorfacilitatorsin
the workingenvironment.A furtheraimshould,be toexamine the dynamicswithaview to
identifyingwaysinwhichelementsmightinteractmore effectivelyandefficiently.
a) EqualityandSafetypoliciesandpracticestopromote employment andretention of disabled
people,ByintegratingHealthandSafetyCommitteesandEqualityforums
b) benefitandcompensationprogrammesormedical retirement,Takingadvicefrompensions
advisors,HR
c) Occupational healthandWelfare services Askingthe rightquestionswithregards
adjustmentsorfitness
d) Employmentsupportandrehabilitationservices,JobCentre PlusDisabilitySupportUnits
e) Adaptationof systemsof workandworkplace strategies,Postrotations,flexible working
patterns.
f) Accessto expertormedical advice.
g) Supportof non-disabledworkers,engagingotherworkersinsupportroles.
h) Training,supervisionandinstruction.
i) Adoptionof reasonable adjustmentsasapreferredoption
3. Understandingthe policy implementationprocess
Identificationof policyintentionsandoutcomesisonlypartof the picture.Itisthe wayin which
policiesare putintopractice - the process -whichdeterminestheireffectsonjobretentionand
returnto work.Accordingly,tomapthe range of participationinthe process,the positionsthey
adoptand theirinter-relationships,andtobegintounderstandthe constraintsandfacilitating
factors,both withinthe departmentandacrossthe organisationforthose concernedwithjob
retentionandreturntowork i.e.HR,Healthand SafetyandOccupational Health.
JimMcCann