[access-uk] Discrimination or simple comon sence.
- From: "Andy" <andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 2 Mar 2005 20:19:13 -0000
Hi all.
I have just secured a social workers post with a Scottish Local Authority
and Access to Work are planning an I.T assessment to ascertained my
technology needs. In addition to these, I was advised by Access to Work to
arrange a Health and Safety Assessment be undertaken by my new employer, and
that a copy of this be sent to ATW.
Today, I visited my new place of work, where I am due to commence employment
on 11th April, and met with a Health and Safety expert, who had been
commissioned by his employer, the same local authority, to undertake the
assessment.
I suffer from Retinitus Pigmentosa and I am Registered as Blind. I do have
some limited and confusing vision but generally, I can manage around a
building/office with no assistance from my guide dog, orbeit, tentatively
and slowly.
Well, the Health and Safety specialist expressed concern about me being
located on the second floor landing of the building. He stated that in a
case of a fire, I may hold up the flow of workers evacuating the building,
on the stair well. He added that he was concerned for my own well-being as
well as my colleagues.
Despite advising him repeatedly that I can manage stairs fine and that I
have never experienced any difficulties negotiating them, he remained
concerned and concluded by advising my prospective line manager that he
would be happier if the whole Community Care Team, some six workers, be
re-located to the ground floor. Alternatively, a second rout of exit be
built in the form of an external fire escape - the office has only one exit
at present.
I was advised by my new line manager that the specialist had many years of
experience behind him, but I could not stop myself from feeling
discriminated against. I don't believe that he has much experience of
visual impairment and appeared to me to be not listening to my views. He
advised that the local authority had a duty of care not only to myself but
to my fellow workers. When I advised him that my job was not entirely
office based and that I would be expected to get out and about, visiting
clients in their own homes, flats, villas, terraces, day care centres,
residential and nursing homes, sheltered housing complexes etc etc etc, he
advised that he was not concerned about that.
Surely, if my new employer has a duty of care towards me this must include
when out and about as one of their representatives.
In any case, his views have resulted in causing alarm to my new line manager
and I'm convinced that if another visually impaired person was to be
interviewed tomorrow, then they may have less of a chance of securing a
post.
Am I simply over-reacting to this one person's views and being unreasonable
myself? Is the specialist discriminating against me? Should I challenge
his views and become a threat to my new employer?
I intend to express my feelings in writing to begin with and express concern
to my line manager about his limited experience of visual impairment and I
would like a Rehabilitation Officer, from the same authority, to undertake a
mobility assessment within the office block. Does this sound reasonable
folks, or as I said above, am I perhaps over-reacting?
Best wishes.
Andy from sunny Kilcreggan.
Drop me a wee line at:
andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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