SOCIETY OF OCCUPATIONAL MEDICINE

GUIDELINES FOR OCCUPATIONAL PHYSICIANS ON THE

DISABILITY DISCRIMINATION ACT 1995

(Continued - Part 6)

Sources of Advice and Assistance

A range of governmental agencies, educational establishments and voluntary bodies offer services to support disabled people in the work place. Services include:

  • assessment of disability;

  • building & access advice;

  • advice on use & provision of technical aids;

  • training & education of people with disabilities;

  • training for all recruitment & job matching;

  • work experience & sheltered employment.

More detailed information and advice is available from your local Employment Service PACT (Placing Assessment & Counselling Team). This can be accessed through a local Jobcentre. In Northern Ireland the Disablement Advisory Service provides a similar service. It can be accessed through a local Training and Employment Agency Office.

The Employers’ Forum on Disability covers all aspects of policy and practice related to the DDA and best practice. Publications include: "The Employers’ Action File on Disability", "The DDA 1995 - A Best Practice Guide", "Welcoming Disabled Customers", "Disability Etiquette Guide" and "Open for Business". In addition, the Forum publishes and regularly updates a Resource Directory for its members, produces a series of technical briefings on specific impairments and runs a helpline. (Tel: 0171 403 3020).

References

  1. Disability Discrimination Act 1995. London: The Stationery Office.

  2. Disability Discrimination (Employment) Regulations 1996. SI No 1456. London: The Stationery Office.

  3. Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Guidance on matters to be taken into account in determining questions relating to the definition of disability. The Stationery Office. 1996 ISBN 0-337-09436-5.

  4. Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Code of Practice for the elimination of discrimination in the field of employment against disabled persons or persons who have had a disability. The Stationery Office. 1996. ISBN 0-11-270954-0

  5. Gooding C Blackstone’s Guide to the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. London: Blackstone Press 1996. ISBN 1-8 5431-499-8.

  6. Doyle B J. Disability Discrimination. The New Law. Bristol: Jordan Publishing 1996. ISBN 0-85308-321-5.

  7. Disability Discrimination Act 1995. Code of Practice. Rights of Access. Goods, Facilities, Services & Premises. The Stationery Office. 1996. ISBN 011-762432-2

  8. Assessment of medical fitness for work. In Cox RAF, Edwards F C & McCallum R I, Eds. Fitness for work. The medical aspects. Oxford: Oxford University Press 1995; 10-23.

  9. US Department of Labor. Selected characteristics of occupations defined in the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. Washington DC: US Government Printing Office 1981.

  10. O’Callaghan J, Switzer - McIntyres. Job Analysis. In Keys G.L, Ed. Industrial Therapy. St. Louis: Mosby 1995; 85-109.

  11. Aldridge J F L, Wright D S, Black D et al. Guidance on Ethics for Occupational Physicians. The Faculty of Occupational Medicine. London 1993.

  12. Clothier C. The report of the Independent Inquiry relating to the Children’s Ward Grantham & Kesteven Hospital during the period February-April 1991. London: HMSO 1994.

  13. Aids to vision on the fire ground. Fire ground Vision Research Unit. Department of Optometry & Visual Science. City University, London.

  14. Functional Capacity Assessment. In Key G.L. Ed. Industrial Therapy. St. Louis: Mosby 1995; 220-253.

  15. Dusik L A, Menard M R, Cooke C, Fairburn S M, Beach G N. Concurrent validity of the ERGOS work simulator versus conventional functional capacity evaluation techniques in a workers compensation population. Journal of Occupational & Environmental Medicine, 1993; 35(8): 759-67.

  16. Smedley J, Egger P, Cooper C, Coggon D. Manual Handling activities and risk of low back pain in nurses. Occupational and Environmental Medicine, 1995; 52: 160- 163.

  17. Ahlbert-Hulten G.K., Theorell T, Sigala F. Social support job strain and musculoskeletal pain among female health care personnel. Scand J Work Environment Health, 1995; 21: 435-9

  18. Symonds T L, Burton A K, Tillotson K M & Main C J. Do attitudes and beliefs influence work loss due to low back trouble? Occupational Medicine, 1996; 46: 25- 32

  19. Taylor J.F. Medical Aspects of Fitness to Drive. A guide for medical practitioners. London: Medical Commission on Accident Prevention 1995.

  20. Chaplin J C. In perspective - the safety of aircraft, pilots and their hearts. Eur Heart J, 1988; 9 (Suppl G): 17-20.

  21. Joy M. Introduction and summary of principal conclusions to the first European workshop in aviation cardiology. European Heart Journal, 1992; 13 (Suppl H): 1-9.

  22. Johnston R V. An assessment of the value of a risk orientated approach to the problem of diabetes mellitus in professional aircrew. Thesis submitted to Faculty of Occupational Medicine, Royal College of Physicians. London. For Diploma of Membership. 1995.

  23. Johns R E, Bloswick D S, Elegante J M, Colledge A L. Chronic, recurrent low back pain. A methodology for analyzing fitness for duty and managing risk under the Americans with Disability Act. Journal of Occupational Medicine, 1994; 36: 537-547

  24. British Diabetic Association. Diabetes and potentially hazardous occupations. Guidelines for the assessment of suitability of people with insulin treated diabetes for employment where there may be a risk of injury or harm to themselves or to the public. London 1995.
Return to Contents Page: 

This text is (C) Copyright of the Society of Occupational Medicine, and has been reproduced on this website with the consent of the Society of Occupational Medicine.