-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
[mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Andy
Sent: 02 March 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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