Workers with developmental and intellectual disabilities work in a variety of settings, including sheltered employment and mainstream, conventional workplaces. For the past several years, LOHP has had a strong interest in advocating for the unique occupational health and safety needs of this vulnerable population of workers. LOHP has developed a number of activities, training programs, and materials targeting this group of workers and their employers and support staff. These activities include providing training for employers affiliated the national non-profit organization, NISH - Creating Employment Opportunities for People with Severe Disabilities; working with Walgreens Company to support their training efforts for employees with disabilities; and conducting outreach and training to high school transition class and support agency staff in a number of states.
Staying Safe At Work Curriculum
LOHP has a curriculum, called Staying Safe at Work: Teaching Workers with Disabilities About Health and Safety on the Job, which is aimed at helping train workers with developmental and intellectual disabilities to stay safe on the job. Designed for use by supported employment agencies, job development programs, employers, and high school transition programs, the curriculum is a resource for teaching valuable job safety knowledge and skills. Staying Safe at Work uses hands-on, fun, interactive activities that do not require literacy skills.
The Staying Safe at Work curriculum and training program were developed under a grant from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Click here for more information on ordering the curriculum. This curriculum is also available online. Click here to view it.
Training
A training of trainers (TOT) program is also available to prepare trainers to use the curriculum. State or regional agencies / organizations nationwide may schedule a training program.
other resources
Click here to read LOHP's report to National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) on protecting the health and safety of workers with developmental disabilities.