Solutions Northwest, Author at Solutions Northwest, Inc.

The Importance of Disability Management Consulting

by Solutions Northwest | Feb 27, 2023 | ADA Accommodations, ADA Litigation Lawsuit, American Disabilities Act, Disability Leave, Vocational Assessments, Vocational Evaluations, Work Safety

The Importance of Disability Management Consulting

Did you know that about 61 million Americans live with a disability? With so many people in the United States suffering from a disability, you may end up hiring someone that has a disability.

In this situation, you need to know what you are legally responsible to provide as an employer. Also, you may need some help to get a better idea of how to efficiently run this work environment.

If this is the case with your company, then disability management consulting is what you need.

What is disability management? How will your company make it work?

This is your guide.

Knowing ADA Requirements

The first thing that you should do is familiarize yourself with ADA requirements. For those of you that do not know, this is the Americans with Disabilities Act.

This act helps give people with disabilities not only more rights in the workplace, but in public businesses in general.

An example could be having access to proper toilets. Every business of a certain size has to have at least one handicap accessible bathroom. If you are using porta potties for an outdoor event, at least 5% of them need to have that handicap access.

However, this is not limited to just toilets. Public businesses may be required to install ramps to fit the needs of those with a disability.

Now, let’s take this need to an office. Wider spaces may need to be arranged to allow open access to someone with a disability.

On top of this, if someone requires a service dog to get around, then a business has to comply with that. Also, access to things to enhance communication such as closed caption may be of use as well.

Disability Management

Now that we have discussed the requirements of certain businesses to be accommodating, let’s dive into disability management. When a business hires someone with a disability, they cannot fire a person for that reason. If they do, it can lead to a discrimination lawsuit.

So, there needs to be solutions and active efforts made to accommodate the person that has a disability. One way that you can do this is by assigning jobs that may be easier for that person to do.

For example, if someone is in a wheelchair, have them do a job like data entry that does not force them to leave the computer much. Or, if someone has difficulty hearing, perhaps do not put them on customer service or sales calls.

Get Disability Management Consulting

These are a few things that you need to be aware of in the workplace. Your business needs to accommodate not only customers coming in that might have a disability, but also potential employees as well. If you do, you can create a more inclusive workspace and avoid a discrimination lawsuit.

To take a step in the right direction, your company may need disability management consulting. If you need expert consultation, contact one of our vocational experts today to get one-on-one assistance.

At Solutions Northwest Inc., our vocational experts are involved in ADA Accommodations , personal injury, workers’ compensation, and family law.

Contact us today to make an appointment.

Subscribe to our blog for more work related tips from Solutions Northwest, Inc., experts available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, WA.

Contact the Vocational Consultants at Solutions Northwest Inc. Below:

Multiple Locations

Corporate Office: 120 State Ave. NE #397
Olympia, WA 98501
Business Hours: 8am-5pm M-F
Corporate FAX: 360-866-4773
Email: Info@solutionsnw.com

Seattle, WA

206-521-5676

Portland/Salem, OR

503-768-9742

Olympia, WA

360-236-8748

Contact our Vocational Consultants

How to Use an Ergonomics Assessment Form to Maximize Office Efficiency

by Solutions Northwest | Feb 24, 2023 | Ergonomic Keyboard, Ergonomic Mouse, Ergonomics, Ergonomics Assessments, Ergonomics Solutions, Office Design, Office Ergonomics, Office Management

How to Use an Ergonomics Assessment Form to Maximize Office Efficiency

How to Use an Ergonomics Assessment Form to Maximize Workplace Efficiency

Perhaps you’ve received multiple complaints from employees that their workstations are hurting them. And naturally, you begin to panic. When your employees — the lifeblood of your organization — hurt, your bottom-line hurts.

Common health issues stemming from poor workplace ergonomics include sprains, tears, and strains. They also include carpal tunnel and back pain.

The good news is that by making your workplace ergonomic, you can improve the efficiency of your workers.

A good place to start is with an ergonomic assessment form. This form can help you get an idea of what problem areas your office has and begin the process of making your office a safer and more comfortable place to work.

Ergonomic Evaluation Forms Should Address the Height of Each Worker’s Monitor

Your ergonomics checklist should call attention to your employees’ monitor heights at their workstations. This is important because the screen height impacts the neck’s soft tissue.

If monitors are too high or low, consider giving your workers monitor arms. Laptop risers and monitor stands can also help them to adjust their screens’ heights.

Placement of the Mouse

An ergonomic assessment form can also help you to improve your workers’ efficiency by requiring you to assess each worker’s mouse placement.

Every worker should have no problem reaching their mouse while their elbow stays against their body. The elbow shouldn’t extend forward.

If you discover that an employee’s mouse isn’t in a safe position for them, consider giving them a vertical mouse. This type of mouse will allow them to make bigger muscular movements from their upper arm or elbow. This is much better than moving just the wrist, as this may inflame the wrist and quickly cause carpal tunnel.

For employees who are struggling with shoulder comfort, consider introducing trackballs to them. This device will minimize their shoulder movement by keeping it in a relatively neutral position. This solution is best for any employee who moves their mouse forward all day.

Back Support

Finally, your ergonomic assessment form should motivate you to examine your employees’ back support. This is essential given that research shows that more than one-fourth of working adults currently have back pain.

To prevent or improve back pain due to work, you should give your employees chairs that have numerous seat adjustments. These adjustments should include armrest adjustments. Other adjustments include those for seat depth and height.

With the right chairs, you can reduce your employees’ back pain. This, in turn, can help them to perform better daily.

Consider Hiring an Ergonomics Consultant to Help You Improve Your Efficiency in the Office

A thorough ergonomic assessment form will help your office get an idea of what improvements should be made.

Furthermore, we recommend hiring an ergonomics consultant to ensure this assessment is properly performed by visiting your location in-person. This is a worthwhile investment, as it pays off in the long run with less injuries and better performance from your workesr.

Contact Solutions Northwest Inc. for an ergonomics assessment.

At Solutions Northwest Inc., we are vocational and ergonomics experts. We offer guidance to businesses on how to make their workplaces safe and productive. Contact us to schedule an ergonomics consultation or assessment for your business today.

Using remote workers? We offer an affordable virtual ergonomics assessment, which can be done remotely (all you need is access to e-mail or a smart phone).

Subscribe to our ergonomics blog for more ergonomics tips from Solutions Northwest Inc. – ergonomics assessments available in: Seattle, WA, Tacoma, WA, Olympia, WA, Vancouver, WA, Kent, WA Renton, WA, Beaverton, OR, Portland, OR, Salem, OR.

Virtual Ergonomics Assessment available nationwide!