1. Accommodating Employees who use Burr Corley, MSW, Consultant
Mobility Devices
Burr Corley, MSW, Consultant
Eddie Whidden, M.A., Senior Consultant

2. Accommodating Employees who use Mobility Devices
Objectives
JAN Overview
Employees who use mobility devices
Accommodations for employees who use mobility devices
Scenarios
Questions

3. JAN Overview

4. How many people use mobility devices?
There are 6.8 million Americans living in the community who use an assistive device to help them with mobility 27.4%of Americans who use mobility devices are in the labor force These statistics are from following document Kaye, H. S., Kang, T. and LaPlante, M.P. (2000). Mobility Device Use in the United States. Disability Statistics Report, (14). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education, National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Available online at

5. Impairments which may require use of a mobility device
Arthritis
Amputation
ALS
Back conditions
Cancer
Cerebral Palsy
Heart Disease
Hemiplegia
Hip conditions
Knee Conditions
Multiple Sclerosis
Muscular Dystrophy
Myasthenia Gravis
Lupus
Osteoporosis
Paraplegia
Parkinson’s Disease
Quadriplegia
Respiratory Disorders
Spina Bifida
Spinal Cord Injury
Stroke

6. Types of mobility devices
Canes
Crutches
Walkers
Knee Walkers
Rollators
Wheelchairs
Manual and Electric
Standing
Outdoor
Scooters

7. Mobility Impairments in the Workplace
Accessing the work site
Accessing the work space
Accessing information technology
Bending, stooping, and kneeling
Reaching
Maintaining balance
Sitting for prolonged periods
Standing
Walking
Lifting materials
Carrying and moving materials
Lifting people
Driving or operating vehicles

8. Accessing the Worksite
Install automatic door openers
Accessible door handles
Parking
Modify the building to make it accessible
Ramps
Chair lifts
Stair lifts
Elevators
Restrooms

9. Accessing the Worksite
Moving employee to accessible location
Allowing or providing mobility devices
Scooter
Wheelchair
Manual
Powered
All-Terrain

10. Emergency Evacuation Motor Impairments
Employers should remove any physical barriers (boxes, supplies, furniture) to insure a barrier-free route of travel out of the building.
Employers may want to provide heavy gloves to protect individuals' hands from debris when pushing their manual wheelchairs, a patch kit to repair flat tires, and extra batteries for those who use motorized wheelchairs or scooters. Arrangements should also be made to make wheelchairs available after evacuation.

11. Designate areas of rescue assistance
Emergency evacuation
Designate areas of rescue assistance
Providing emergency evacuation mobility aids

12. Accessing the Workspace
Providing accessible route of travel
Modifying workstation to make it accessible
Ergonomic chairs
Articulating keyboard trays and mousing surfaces
Foot rests and forearm supports
Headsets
Slant boards and copy holders

13. Accessing the Workspace
Desk-A-Lators
Provide adjustable workstation that can allow a wheelchair user access to the desk, or allow alternating between sitting and standing
Accessible workstations for office settings
Accessible workstations for industrial settings

14. Accessing Information Technology
Alternative keyboards
Alternative mice
Speech recognition

15. Accommodations for Climbing
Aerial Lifts
Work platforms
Provide reacher
Provide safety ladders for
employees who must use
ladders

16. Bending, Stooping, and Kneeling
Raise equipment or material on which the employee is working
Provide low stool or creeper
Racatac
Provide reacher

17. Set up workstation to minimize reaching Provide reacher
Job restructuring

18. Provide safety ladders for employees who must use ladders
Maintaining Balance
Provide safety ladders for employees who must use ladders
Provide or allow use of mobility aids
Canes
Walkers with seats
Rollators
Wheelchair
Scooter

19. Sitting for Prolonged Periods
Providing adjustable workstation
Using ergonomic chairs
Seat cushions

20. Sitting for Prolonged Periods
Implementing ergonomic principles
Monitor risers
Articulating keyboard and mouse trays
Foot rests and forearm supports
Headsets
Lumbar cushions
Copyholders, page turners, and book holders
Task lighting

21. Standing for Prolonged Periods
Adjustable and accessible workstations
Stand-lean stools
Anti-fatigue matting
Stand-up wheelchairs
ErgoMates

22. Communicating with email, IM, two-way radios and cell phones ErgoMates
Walking
Communicating with , IM, two-way radios and cell phones
ErgoMates
Providing or allowing mobility device
Wheelchairs
Scooters
Walkers and rollators
Canes

23. Compact lifting devices Adjustable lift tables Vacuum lifts
Lifting Materials
Job restructuring
Compact lifting devices
Adjustable lift tables
Vacuum lifts
Mobile cranes
Tool balancers and ergonomic
tools

24. Carrying and Moving Materials
Carts and hand trucks
Motorized carts
Baskets for walkers and rollators
Carts that can be attached to a mobility device like a scooter

25. Accessibility in Agriculture
National Agrability Project

26. Lifting People Adjustable and walk-up changing tables
Adjustable examination tables
Patient lifts
Transfer aids
Independent living products

27. Driving or Operating Vehicles
Steering grips
Vehicle cushions
Anti vibration seats and wraps
Automatic clutch
Hand controls
Pedal extenders
Specific seat belts and seat belt extenders
Swivel seats and seat extenders
Lifters and carriers for mobility aids
Allow work from home

28. Non-Product Accommodations
Job restructuring
Modified schedule
Reassignment
Telework

29. Scenario 1
A caller said an employee with a doctor's note stating he needs to telework because he can only walk 200 ft without experiencing pain/weakness due to neuropathy. The employee’s job is sedentary. They wanted some alternatives to working from home. We discussed the use of a mobility device and placing him closer to the common-use areas in the office, such as, the restroom, break area, etc.

30. Scenario 2
A school teacher with 30 years experience in the classroom has difficulty walking around the room in order to give one-on-one attention to her students and has difficulty balancing while standing in front of the class for prolonged periods. Her arthritis has worsened in the last two years making mobility an issue at work. We discussed the use of a sit-to-stand stool to use when lecturing and a rollator for some limited walking.

31. Scenario 3
Caller said they have a city employee working in grounds maintenance, but the employee has difficulty walking on uneven terrain and must haul bags of fertilizer throughout the area. She has a back condition resulting in restrictions of walking, carrying, and lifting. We suggested a powered scooter designed for outdoor use with a "yardcart" attached to the rear of the scooter.

32. Scenario 4
An employee has trouble lifting/moving heavy boxes of computer paper due to a shoulder injury; he works in an office setting and deliveries are made to the basement. He must lift/move the boxes while ascending the basement stairs. We explained the use of a stair-climbing compact material lift device.

33. Disabled Access Credit (DAC)
Tax Incentives
Disabled Access Credit (DAC)
Architectural and Transportation Barrier Removal Deduction
Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) Program
Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) program

34. Questions? AskJAN.org

35. Work that Works Contact (800) 526-7234 (V) & (877) 781-9403 (TTY)
(304) via text
AskJAN.org &
janconsultants via Skype