[access-uk] Re: Discrimination or simple comon sence.
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Mar 2005 10:43:44 -0000
Interesting to say that. I am totally blind and I am required to move
up and down the town hall nearly all day. I am also required to go out
at least three times a week visiting different parts of London. I had
an assessment the first day and was told that I should ask for help if I
am stuck, which is common sense. I do not think that your fella knew
what he was talking about, and I think he was trying to stop any
litigation may come about. In any case, if there is a fire and the
place is full of smoke, we would be the first one to find our way as we
do not need to see where we are going. Part from anything, we do not
burst in flame for no reason.
I think you should disagree with the nonsense!
Ali Amasyali
National Management Trainee (NMT)
Hackney Town Hall
Room 38
Mare Street
E8 1EA
020 8356 3287
ali.amasyali@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
From: Andrew Hodgson [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Andrew Hodgson
Sent: 03 March 2005 09:19
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: RE: [access-uk] Discrimination or simple comon sence.
Hi,
Here is another person who can't believe the stupidity of the situation.
Actually, I can believe it only too well, but here we go.
I work in a busy office on two floors; I have to go from one floor to
the other regularly. No health and safety issues have been raised. If
you are faced with a fire in a building I would hope everyone would use
common sense and help each other to get out as safely as possible!
Let us know how this progresses.
I am not sure whether this counts as discrimination or just a pure lack
of knollege/someone trying to proove themselves useful?
Thanks.
Andrew.
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx on behalf of Andy
Sent: Wed 02/03/2005 20:19
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Discrimination or simple comon sence.
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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