Welcome Back Our Heroes

Since 2001, 275 United Kingdom Service Personnel have lost upper or lower limbs as a result of combat in Afghanistan. Following rehabilitation in the UK and concluding with the fitting of prosthetic limbs or use of a wheelchair, they have been for some time entering back into the UK workforce.

The Disability Discrimination Act clearly states that potential employees should not be discriminated against because of such injuries and that reasonable adjustments should be made to ensure that workplaces and jobs are made more accessible.

How would or does your company deal with these situations? I was on a site recently where the main complex building was clearly DDA compliant with ramps, carefully placed handles, wide doors and signs everywhere. However, the site buildings, temporary for at least two years, were as about as inaccessible as possible, one step to the canteen, two to the site offices, and three to the toilets. It’s not just these obvious measures though, what about site evacuation – do you have an evac chair available? Do you know if any of your employees are epileptic and have you assessed the possible consequences? And what about those other issues that all people have, but you may not know about?

This makes it sound as if I am being very negative about employing people with a disability, but actually I am thinking entirely the opposite. Just imagine all the skills and qualities that ex-service men and women hold and how they could be put to use in our industry. Could you imagine if Stephen Hawking had been a designer or Architect!

As well as lots of information on the web, C&D can help you with any questions you may have as well as providing a Disability Awareness course especially for the Demolition Industry.

Please get in touch to discuss the options.