Promoting occupational safety and health training for workers with developmental disabilities

Approximately 4.5 million individuals in the US have developmental disabilities. Developmental disabilities (DD) are severe, life-long disabilities attributable to mental and/or physical impairments which result in substantial limitations in major life activities. Examples of developmental disabilities include mental retardation, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy. An estimated 30% of working-age adults with DD are employed either in segregated “workshops” or mainstream settings. The results from recent needs assessments indicate there are very few examples of health and safety training being provided to workers with developmental disabilities. When safety training does occur, it is usually limited to task-specific instructions provided on an as needed basis. This lack of real health and safety training leaves these workers unprepared to be able to identify hazards in a variety of settings, know what to do when something unexpected happens, and advocate for themselves when a problem arises. This presentation will describe a unique effort to bridge this gap by creating an occupational safety and health education training program that meets the cognitive needs of workers with developmental disabilities. The training program has been pilot-tested with several adults with developmental disabilities, including employees participating in Walgreens Company's initiative to hire a third of its warehouse employees from this population. Attendees will be introduced to the learning activities that are part of this basic curriculum and discuss strategies for integrating health and safety training into the activities of the agencies and organizations that serve this population.