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Protecting Workers with Developmental Disabilities

National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) researchers finished a health hazard evaluation at a sheltered workshop in 1999.1 A sheltered workshop is a nonprofit business employing predominantly people with developmental disabilities and other chronic mental and physical impairments. The study's findings suggested that sheltered workshop employees would benefit from increased management awareness and a more proactive approach to worker health and safety.

A search for occupational health and safety information focusing on workers with developmental disabilities produced few results. Therefore, NIOSH researchers visited ten additional sheltered workshops to learn more from workshop managers, staff members, and workers. From these visits, issues affecting the health and safety of workers with developmental disabilities were determined, and ten of the issues are discussed in this report. Recommendations for protecting workers with developmental disabilities and issues needing research are also given.


Contents


Feedback

We welcome questions and comments concerning health and safety issues affecting workers with developmental disabilities. Please forward your correspondence to Steve Lenhart, NIOSH, 4676 Columbia Parkway, R-11, Cincinnati, Ohio 45226-1998; email: SLenhart@cdc.gov. Information about the NIOSH health hazard evaluation program can be found at http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/hhe.html.

Comments

"Protecting Workers with Developmental Disabilities" was published in the February 2000 issue of Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene (Volume 15(2): pages 171-181). The article was added to the NIOSH web site to increase its availability. The information was determined during activities associated with the NIOSH health hazard evaluation program. While recommendations are provided, they are advisory only, and none should be interpreted as representing NIOSH policy.

The artwork surrounding the heading is reprinted by permission of Martha Perske from PERSKE: PENCIL PORTRAITS 1971-1990. (Nashville: Abingdon Press, 1998).

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