DDA issues at work

[Rosie]

Hi Pink

I just want to say that I had a wrist support on my keyboard, but it was nothing like the supports I was given by the Access to Work guy. It really is worth getting expert advice as there will be all sorts of aids or supports that you don't know about they may help you.

Rosie

[pink]

As far as I know HR have just instructed out H&S guy to do the workstation assessment so it wont be anyone external. Not sure exactly how much knowledge of HMS he has but will see.

[Rosie]

Hi Pink

Someone who does workstation assessments as part of their job is very unlikely to do anything other than a normal workstation assessment, that is what they are trained to do. You may need to go to Occupational Health (if your employer has one) to access someone with a more in-depth knowledge. When I went through Access to Work, the bloke who assessed me was a physio.
When the H&S guy does the assessment, make sure you tell him that the 'normal' set up does not work for you. He will need your agreement with the assessment, and although your workstation may be fine for someone else, that does not make it fine for you, and the assessment is for you at your workstation. I think they ask for your comments at the end, and stating here that you need a more specialised assessment carried out by someone with knowledge of your condition may be the way to go. Please think aout using Access to Work.
Rosie

[pink]

I am going ot request access to work rosie and am getting frustrated at time scales already. Do you know rough timescales once you get in touch with them for the assessment and then equipment to arrive. Do they have to negotitate costs with employers first as well. am v tempted to go off sick until it gets sorted out as I suspect things may move quicker then but not got good sick record as it is and am fairly work conscious to do that

[pink]

Access to work telephone application now done.

[Rosie]

Hi Pink

That's great news. i think that the response is fairly quick. I had the Access to Work local guy come and see me fairly quickly, and he sent the assessor/physiotherapist guy who carried out a complete workstation assessment for me. The stuff he suggested was really good and very helpful. I think AtW paid the full costs for the visits and their reports, and if you are already in work they pay for 80% of the recomended equipment. I think it is hard for an employer to ignore their recomendations, although they can drag their heels. It was getting the equipment that was the slow bit for me.

Hope they come and see you soon. Let us know how it goes.

Rosie

[aninja]

Well, we have Occupational Health and still I am having problems, I have had numerous work station assessments and still have equipment that I cannot use while using splints. Not sure what to do now, feel like I am being apin in the bum!

aninja
xx

[pink]

Access to Work asessment just happened. Reccommended new chair, keyboard, mouse and slanted document holder to go between my screen and keyboard. The mouse and keyboard can be used with splints if the OT decides i need them at work and i'm not alowed to sit down for more than 30 min without a stretch. Also discussed Dragon 10 and an electric desk for possible years down line but my funny back and problems sitting for periods of time.

[Englishgremlin1]

sounds like a result

[Stone]

Sounds good to me, from what I experienced AtW can be a bit hit and miss. When I registered with them they asked me what I could and couldn't do (I had really sore wrists and metacarpophalangeal joints and a regularly subluxing shoulder, but my knees can't deal with standing in one place for a long time either). I spoke to them on the phone and told them I'd just come out of another job with some adjustments and wanted similar things to those I had there - a vertical mouse, some kind of RSI-reducing keyboard, a bigger monitor (I had 2x15" monitors for my two PCs, so only one of them was in line with my chair/keyboard and it gave me neckache) and a comfy chair. They sent a proposal into Occupation Health that consisted of a trackball, an electric adjustable desk 'so I could stand at it', voice recognition and a sloping wrist rest It was like they were throwing darts at the accessibility catalogue...

In the end I went back to OcHealth and said 'I'm not having this, it's totally unsuitable, I want one of these' after going through the catalogues myself - and AtW just paid for it. They didn't even come to my workplace! So, um, yeah, don't be afraid to tell them they're talking rubbish because some of them know exactly what they're doing and some of them really don't It did take them a couple of weeks to approve it all because I'd asked them to change it (I get the impression that if you accept their suggestions it's quicker) but once they'd approved it my work just got everything bought in and it was only a week or so longer. Don't know if that helps?

aninja: I know exactly what you mean, but you have to remember you can change it if you want to, they'll know it's not just you being difficult for the sake of it! There are loads of doors at work which realistically are too stiff for me (I have to concentrate when I open them or I stretch my wrist and it's funny all day) but everyone else manages so you think why should I stick my neck out...

I don't know where I'm going with that really, sorry

Stone

[pink]

My Chair, keyboard, mouse and flex desk now arrived. finding the keyboard and mouse so so bizarre and wierd tho - guess will take some time to get used to

[Englishgremlin1]

take it slow and you will find it takes a few days.

[Stone]

take it slow and you will find it takes a few days.

This, and remember your regular breaks! I always find the novelty of having new stuff makes me forget when to have a rest

Have fun!

Stone

[cracker]

hiya guys hope these sites help

http://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/index.htm

http://www.hse.gov.uk/disability/easyread.pdf

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeo ... DG_4001068

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeo ... DG_4019061

hope the the rite ones for u

[tinselworm]

I've recently gone back to work full time in an office and I'm really struggling with the desk set up.

I've had a DSE assessment by an outside occupational health agency apparently specialising in disability and whatnot, but it seemed very much geared towards normal-jointed person and the recommendations really haven't worked for me.

For example. She said my chair was too low. So she raised it to the height it should be for my lower back and legs, but that means I can't lean on the desk with my arms, and I have to do that or my upper back hurts because my neck/shoulders are lax (know what I mean? It's not a conscious thing, but I have to do it, because my upper body doesn't like supporting its weight on its own).

If I have my chair low enough that I can do that, my back and legs hurt (starting to get knee pain now, and I've never had that before) and the screen is too high.

She said I need a new chair with an adjustable seat pan to make it deeper, but that could take months. Because it's not deep enough she said I was 'perching' on the edge of it, but I have to do that, so I can lean on the desk.

She also said my screen was too high, so she lowered it, but I can't spend much time looking straight ahead because holding my neck straight hurts - I tend to lean my upper body on the desk at the elbows/forearms and look more upwards to the screen, which is more comfortable for me, but they say that's wrong. So every night I go home and my neck hurts.

It seems to be six of one half a dozen of the other and I just can't get it right. I've tried every combination and I just can't get comfy, at all. Is anyone else dealing with this? What solutions have you found?