Recommendations to the System and Policy Makers in order to improve workplaces for people with disabilities through ergonomic design. Recommendations carried out by ERGO WORK project (deliverable D43).

1.
ERGO
WORK
ERGO
WORK
–
Joining
academia
and
business
for
new
opportunities
in
creating
ERGOnomic
WORK
places
RECOMMENDATIONS
TO
THE
SYSTEM
AND
POLICY
MAKERS
Work
package
7:
Exploitation
and
Sustainability
Plan
Deliverable:
D43.
Recommendations
for
the
System
and
Policy
makers
This
project
has
been
funded
with
support
from
the
European
Commission.
This
publication
[communication]
reflects
the
views
only
of
the
author,
and
the
Commission
cannot
be
held
responsible
for
any
use
which
may
be
made
of
the
information
contained
therein.
Project
no.:
539892-­‐LLP-­‐1-­‐2013-­‐1-­‐SI-­‐ERASMUS-­‐EKA
Grant
Agreement
no.:
2013-­‐3750/001-­‐001
Project
Title:
ERGO
WORK
–
Joining
academia
and
business
for
new
opportunities
in
creating
ERGOnomic
WORK
places
Programme:
Lifelong
Learning
Programme,
Erasmus

2. 1
1 DOCUMENT
CONTROL
1.1 Document
history
Date
Version
Change
Author
16.01.2015
0.1
Initial
version
P10
22.01.2015
0.2
Review
and
comments
by
All
at
meeting
in
Salamanca
P10
+P1,
P2,
P4
19.03.2015
0.3
Implementation
of
suggested
changes
P10
1.5.2015
0.4
Review
and
comments
by
the
Coordinator
P1
1.6.2015
Final
EN
for
translations
Implementation
of
coordinator’s
suggestions
Author
P10
15.6.2015
Final
draft
1
for
release
Translations
into
SI,
PL,
ES,
IT
P1,
P4,
P8,
P9
1.7.2015
0.6
Review
and
comments
by
EASPD
(P10)
standing
committee
EASPD
Standing
Committee
for
Employment
5.7.2015
0.7
Evaluation
by
PMG
&
Evaluator
PMG
(Project
Management
Group)
&
External
evaluator
10.7.2015
Final
EN
Implementation
of
final
suggested
changes
Author
P10
23.7.2015
Final
in
EN,
SI,
PL,
ES,
IT
Translation
of
amendments
into
SI,
PL,
ES,
IT
P1,
P4,
P8,
P9
1.2 Document
distribution
list
All
members
of
ERGO
WORK
project
group
and
relevant
stakeholders.
1.3 Document
location
Latest
version
of
the
document
is
available
at:
DROPBOX,
ERGO
WORK
2013WP7_Sustainability
D43_recommendations
to
the
system
and
policy
makers
1.4 Document
privacy
Project
team
The
Agency
Public
yes
yes
yes

3. 2
1.5 Table
of
Contents
1
Document
control
...........................................................................................................................
1
1.1
Document
history
....................................................................................................................
1
1.2
Document
distribution
list
......................................................................................................
1
1.3
Document
location
..................................................................................................................
1
1.4
Document
privacy
...................................................................................................................
1
1.5
Table
of
contents
.....................................................................................................................
2
2
Introduction
....................................................................................................................................
3
3
ERGO
WORK
project
overview
........................................................................................................
4
4
Key
findings
of
ERGO
WORK
in-­‐depth
analysis
for
improving
curricula
ergonomics
......................
4
5
Key
factors
enabling
equal
employment
opportunities
and
quality
work
environment
for
persons
with
disabilities
.......................................................................................................................................
5
5.1
Disability
&
employment
.........................................................................................................
5
5.2
Education
and
vocational
training
...........................................................................................
6
6
Recommendations
..........................................................................................................................
6
6.1
Recommendations
to
the
European
Commission
and
the
European
Parliament
...................
7
6.2.
Recommendations
to
the
national
authorities
in
the
piloting
countries
................................
8
7
Conclusions
...................................................................................................................................
10
8
ANNEX
I.
Summarized
recommendations
for
multidisciplinary
curriculum
ergonomics
............
11
9
LEGAL
DISCLAIMER
........................................................................................................................
12

4. 3
2 INTRODUCTION
Reducing
unemployment
is
one
the
main
priorities
set
by
the
European
Union’s
Europe
2020
strategy.
In
order
to
achieve
smart,
inclusive
and
sustainable
growth,
it
will
be
necessary
to
facilitate
the
participation
of
people
of
all
ages
and
skill
levels
in
the
labour
market.
It
is
important
to
note
that
different
people
have
different
needs,
but
the
needs
of
some
groups
are
not
always
met
in
the
open
labour
market.
In
order
to
avoid
the
social
exclusion
of
such
groups,
it
is
important
to
take
extra
measures
to
accommodate
their
needs.
The
current
paper
looks
specifically
into
the
ways
in
which
the
needs
of
workers
with
disabilities
can
be
met
in
the
context
of
workplace
ergonomics1
.
If
we
take
into
account
that
people
are
all
different,
the
need
for
individual
ergonomic
support
in
the
workplace
becomes
a
necessity.
Employees
carry
special
ergonomic
needs
due
to
their
disability,
age
or
other
specific
personal
conditions.
The
aging
population
and
the
increasing
period
of
employment
contribute
to
a
growing
number
of
employees
with
special
needs
either
with
special
visual,
hearing,
physical
or
other
needs.
Holistic
ergonomic
approach
at
companies
supports
these
human
factors
and
the
increasing
diversity
of
employees,
and
as
such
contributes
to
the
economic
efficiency
of
the
company.
It
is
recognized
that
ergonomic
measures
minimize
absence
from
work
(less
injures,
less
work
related
diseases),
and
increase
satisfaction
and
efficiency
of
employees.
Taking
all
these
into
account,
intensive
campaigns
focused
on
decision
makers
inside
organisations/companies
need
to
be
promoted,
supported
and
initiated.
Based
on
the
findings
of
studies
conducted
as
part
of
the
European
Union-­‐funded
ERGO
WORK
project,
namely
the
deliverables
“Recommendations
for
Multidisciplinary
Curriculum
Ergonomics”
(Summary
of
these
recommendations
may
be
found
in
Annex
I)
and
“Report
on
In-­‐depth
Analysis,”
this
paper
provides
a
list
of
recommendations
to
system
and
policy
makers
on
improving
workplace
ergonomics
for
people
with
disabilities.
In
addition,
the
document
takes
into
account
in-­‐depth
discussions
with
experts
from
the
Standing
Committees
on
Employment
and
Education
of
the
European
Association
of
Service
Providers
for
People
with
Disabilities
(EASPD).
The
recommendations
aim
to
provide
a
contribution
to
the
future
development
and
innovation
of
the
open
labour
market
in
the
partner
countries
of
the
ERGO
WORK
project
and
throughout
the
European
Union.
In
the
debate
about
disability,
quality
of
life
should
always
be
at
the
core
of
every
decision
regardless
of
the
field.
It
is
of
utmost
importance
to
recognise
that
in
the
open
labour
market
every
person
has
different
support
needs
and
different
goals
in
his
or
her
life
and
individual
choice
should
be
fostered
and
respected
as
much
as
possible.
The
employment
of
people
with
disabilities
is
an
important
policy
topic
that
has
been
regularly
brought
up
on
the
international
arena.
• The
Article
27
of
the
UN
Convention
on
the
Rights
of
Persons
with
Disabilities
(UNCRPD)
recognizes
the
right
of
persons
with
disabilities
to
work,
on
an
equal
basis
with
others.
• The
European
Commission
addresses
labour
market
issues
in
the
framework
of
the
European
Semester
by
asking
Member
States
to
develop
additional
support
measures
for
the
1
According
to
the
International
Ergonomics
Association,
ergonomics
is
“the
scientific
discipline
concerned
with
the
understanding
of
interactions
among
humans
and
other
elements
of
a
(work)
system,
and
the
profession
that
applies
theory,
principles,
data
and
methods
to
design
in
order
to
optimize
human
well
being
and
overall
(work)
system
performance.”

5. 4
unemployed;
in
particular
those
most
excluded
from
the
labour
market
(young
people,
elderly,
disadvantaged
groups,
persons
with
disabilities).
European
Semester
is
a
governance
instrument
that
aims
to
ensure
a
better
coordination
between
EU
Member
States
and
the
European
Commission
to
successfully
achieve
the
EU’s
strategies
and
targets.
• The
European
Disability
Strategy
(2010-­‐2020)
aims
to
improve
the
social
inclusion
and
well-­‐
being
of
people
with
disabilities
by
enabling
them
to
fully
exercise
their
rights.
• The
Employment
Equality
Directive
2000/78/EC
fights
against
age
and
disability
discrimination
in
employment.
3 ERGO
WORK
PROJECT
OVERVIEW
ERGO
WORK
–
Joining
academia
and
business
for
new
opportunities
in
creating
ERGOnomic
WORK
places
is
a
European
project
launched
in
October
2013
under
the
Lifelong
Learning
Programme
(Erasmus).
It
aims
to
improve
the
ergonomic
design
of
jobs
and
workplaces
for
people
with
disabilities.
The
project
promotes
knowledge,
skills
and
“social
cohesion”
in
order
to
create
reasonable
accommodation
at
work
for
all
employees,
including
people
with
disabilities.
A
total
of
10
partners
from
six
countries
-­‐
Slovenia,
Poland,
United
Kingdom,
Italy,
Spain,
and
Belgium
–
are
involved
in
ERGO
WORK.
The
project
is
founded
on
the
view
that
the
labour
market
can
significantly
benefit
from
greater
inclusion
of
people
with
disabilities.
It
holds
that
the
multidisciplinary
field
of
Ergonomics
can
help
and
support
inclusion
through
improved
design
and
adaptation
of
workplace
to
cater
for
diverse
needs.
The
long-­‐term
objective
of
the
project
is
to
set
the
foundation
for
a
systematic
and
sustainable
cooperation
between
Academia
and
Business
and
all
other
relevant
stakeholders
in
Ergonomics
for
persons
with
disabilities
in
order
to
foster
Reasonable
Accommodation
at
work.
The
project
as
a
whole
aims
to
update
the
existing
Ergonomics
teaching
contents
at
partner
universities,
particularly
in
Poland
and
Slovenia.
As
part
of
one
of
the
project’s
work
packages,
the
partners
developed
the
“Recommendations
for
Multidisciplinary
Curriculum
Ergonomics”
based
on
a
study
entitled
“In-­‐depth
Analysis
of
existing
Curricula
Ergonomics”.
The
study
produced
important
findings
on
the
existing
Curricula
in
partner
countries
in
the
field
of
Ergonomics
and
specifically
showed
how
different
study
programmes,
subjects,
teaching
contents,
or
modules
address:
a)
Multidisciplinary
issues
–
which
disciplines
are
included
or
need
to
be;
b)
needs
of
people
with
disabilities–
how
well
specific
contents
on
‘adapted
workplace
design’
are
represented
within
the
curriculum.
4 KEY
FINDINGS
OF
ERGO
WORK
IN-­‐DEPTH
ANALYSIS
FOR
IMPROVING
CURRICULA
ERGONOMICS
An
in-­‐depth
analysis
of
Ergonomics
curricula
taught
by
17
faculties
from
13
higher
education
institution
from
6
countries
(focussing
on
the
UK,
Slovenia
and
Poland)
has
revealed
the
following
findings
(ERGO
WORK,
2015):

6. 5
- Curricula
for
Ergonomics
programmes
need
to
include
following
topics
in
order
to
accommodate
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
at
work:
inclusive
design;
empathetic
methods
of
design;
introduction
to
organizational
behaviour;
assistive
technology
knowledge;
and
accessible
environments
knowledge.
- Awareness
should
be
raised
among
students
of
various
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
in
general,
rather
than
placing
the
focus
on
specific
groups
and
their
needs.
- Empathic
skills
are
crucial
in
raising
students’
awareness
in
relation
to
people
with
disabilities.
Empathic
skills
can
be
taught
through
practical
work,
for
example,
by
using
a
wheelchair
or
glasses
that
simulate
a
disability.
This
way,
students
can
empathise
with
the
user
experience
and
design
accordingly.
- Teaching
content
about
mental
health
needs,
including
stress,
depression
and
schizophrenia,
is
rare
in
the
curricula
covered
by
the
study.
There
is
a
need
to
include
more
knowledge
on
the
aspect
of
mental
disability
in
relation
to
workplace
ergonomics
for
people
with
disabilities.
- Workplace
intervention
in
Ergonomics
courses
is
not
always
related
to
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
at
workplace.
In
theory,
such
needs
are
included
in
Ergonomics
training,
but
the
practical
application
is
rare.
- Knowledge
sharing
in
terms
of
the
tools
used
by
training
programmes
can
improve
the
effectiveness
of
teachings.
- It
is
important
to
use
the
knowledge
and
practices
developed
within
other
disciplines,
for
example,
organisational
and
occupational
psychology.
The
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
at
workplace
should
not
be
covered
only
through
the
physical
design
of
the
working
environment.
Adaptation
can
be
made
also
in
terms
of
scheduling,
type
of
work,
daily
tasks,
etc.
5 KEY
FACTORS
ENABLING
EQUAL
EMPLOYMENT
OPPORTUNITIES
AND
QUALITY
WORK
ENVIRONMENT
FOR
PERSONS
WITH
DISABILITIES
5.1 Disability
&
employment
- The
labour
market
should
develop
inclusive
environments
meeting
the
demands
of
persons
with
various
support
needs,
ranging
from
low
to
high
levels
of
assistance.
- All
forms
of
employment
should
be
equally
valued
according
to
their
role
in
social,
health
and
employment
policies.
- Discrimination
on
the
basis
of
disability
should
be
legislated
against.
- Free
choice
of
work
in
the
preferred
environment
should
be
respected.
- All
forms
of
employment
for
persons
with
disabilities
should
address
their
individual
needs
and
respect
their
abilities.
- Employment
of
persons
with
disabilities
in
the
private
sector
should
be
promoted
through
appropriate
policies
and
measures,
which
may
include
affirmative
action
programmes,
incentives
and
other
measures;

7. 6
- Reasonable
accommodation
and
universal
workplace
design
is
crucial
in
providing
real
access
to
work
and
employment
positions.
Not
only
tools
and/or
adaptations
may
be
needed
to
perform
job-­‐tasks,
but
also
the
availability
of
human
support
and
support
services
could
overcome
barriers
faced
in
the
working
environment.
The
reasonable
accommodation
and
workplace
design
concepts
should
be
fully
implemented
in
the
labour
market
to
allow
people
with
disabilities
to
have
concrete
chances
to
find
and
to
keep
a
job
in
the
labour
market.
- Support
must
be
made
available
in
all
phases
of
working
life
(recruitment,
retention
and
end
of
work).
- Vocational
and
professional
rehabilitation,
job
retention
and
return-­‐to-­‐work
programmes
should
be
in
place
for
persons
with
disabilities.
- Cross-­‐sectorial
cooperation
between
all
stakeholders
working
in
the
field
of
disability,
ergonomics,
workplace
design
and
employment
is
essential
to
establish
sound
support
frameworks
and
to
identify
and
tackle
any
issue
with
an
adequate
response.
- Accessibility
and
universal
design
should
be
given
a
broad
definition
to
cover
all
types
of
disability.
Accessibility
of
the
workplace
and
accessible
transport
is
the
first
step
to
enable
access
to
the
labour
market.
- Support
for
employers
to
create
their
own
Corporate
Social
Responsibility
plans
and
implement
ergonomic
workplaces
is
an
essential
part
of
improving
access
to
work
and
employment
for
persons
with
disabilities.
5.2 Education
and
vocational
training
- People
with
disabilities
should
have
effective
access
to
general
technical
and
vocational
guidance
programmes,
placement
services
and
vocational
and
continuing
training.
- Vocational
education
and
training
(VET)
programmes
should
be
adapted
to
the
needs
of
persons
with
disabilities;
persons
with
disabilities
should
be
involved
and
trained
as
educators
when
possible.
- The
concepts
of
reasonable
accommodation,
workplace
design
and
ergonomics
should
be
part
of
the
curricula
in
VET
and
higher
education
for
students
in
different
fields
of
study
such
as
Psychology,
Engineering
and
Occupational
Health.
- New
learning
methods,
teaching
methods
and
contents
about
Ergonomics
should
be
made
available
and
mainstreamed
in
VET
and
higher
education.
Cooperation
between
educational
institutes
is
crucial.
6 RECOMMENDATIONS
As
stated
in
Article
27
of
the
UN
Convention
on
the
Rights
of
Persons
with
Disabilities
and
the
European
Union’s
2020
Strategy,
employment
and
job
opportunities
are
a
key
priority
for
all
Governments
in
Europe.
Although
mainly
a
policy
area
that
belongs
to
the
competence
of
Member
States,
it
is
also
of
relevance
to
the
European
Union,
which
acts
as
coordinator,
initiator
and
innovator.

8. 7
While
it
is
recognised
that
employment
on
the
open
labour
market
is
the
preferred
option,
it
should
be
also
acknowledged
that
many
people
with
disabilities
are
in
other
labour
schemes
for
reasons
depending
on
different
support
needs
and/or
because
of
a
lack
of
adequate
structures
in
the
open
labour
market.
EU
Member
States
have
developed
work
and
employment
schemes
according
to
their
respective
historical
background
of
disability
care
and
support.
According
to
its
specific
framework,
each
Member
State
has
developed
its
range
of
structures
and
programmes
as
well
as
its
own
definitions
-­‐
hardly
comparable
as
they
imply
different
concepts.
The
multi-­‐level
approach
towards
policy
making
in
the
area
of
employment
for
people
with
disabilities
makes
it
essential
to
address
decision-­‐makers
both
on
national
and
supranational
levels.
The
current
article
provides
separate
sets
of
recommendations
for
targeting
these
groups.
6.1 Recommendations
to
the
European
Commission
and
the
European
Parliament
Inclusion
of
people
with
disabilities
in
the
open
labour
market
is
a
high-­‐priority
objective
for
Europe.
Addressing
special
needs
of
disabled
employees
through
tailored
ergonomic
solutions
and
workplace
adjustments
is
one
of
the
ways
in
which
this
objective
can
be
achieved.
Therefore,
the
European
Commission
(EC)
and
the
European
Parliament
need
to
take
the
lead
in
stimulating
fully
inclusive
employment
conditions
in
Member
States.
Based
on
the
outcomes
of
the
ERGO
Work
project,
and
taking
into
account
the
EASPD
Employment
Declaration
2014,
the
following
set
of
recommendations
for
the
European
Union
(European
Parliament,
Council
of
the
European
Union,
European
Commission)
has
been
developed.
! The
EU
should
promote
the
development
of
employment
opportunities
for
people
with
disabilities
in
the
framework
of
the
European
Employment
Directive.
! The
EU
should
extend
the
spectrum
of
employment
opportunities
for
people
with
disabilities
in
terms
of
Public
Procurement.
The
European
Social
Fund
and
the
opportunities
given
by
the
General
Block
Exemption
Regulation
can
also
be
used
to
develop
ergonomic
working
environments
for
people
with
disabilities.
Furthermore,
the
European
Commission
should
encourage
Member
States
to
use
structural
funds
for
developing
fully
inclusive
workplaces.
! The
EU
need
to
encourage
better
European
collaboration
and
transfer
of
knowledge
and
practices
in
the
field
of
ergonomics
and
workplace
adjustment
for
people
with
disabilities.
It
is
crucial
to
identify
and
to
promote
models
of
good
practice
with
regard
to
policies
and
approaches
providing
adapted
workplaces
and
workplace
design.
! A
further
development
of
a
European
Network
in
the
field
of
workplace
ergonomics
for
people
with
disabilities
is
an
important
element
for
strengthening
the
collaboration
among
European
countries.
Hence,
a
stakeholder
network
that
focuses
on
structural
relations
between
stakeholders
at
local,
regional,
national
and
European
levels
needs
to
be
further
developed
and
financed.
At
the
EU
level,
the
network
would
ideally
include,
in
addition
to
political
authorities,
service
providers,
academia
representatives,
workplace
design
and
ergonomic
developers,
employers,
chambers
of
commerce,
trade
unions,
expert
associations,
boards
and
consultancies,
etc.
! It
is
further
recommended
to
foster
the
training
of
professionals
specialized
in
ergonomic
solutions
for
people
with
disabilities.
Specifically,
it
is
crucial
to
promote
multidisciplinary
ergonomics
curricula
in
universities,
with
the
focus
on
inclusive
design,
accessible
design

9. 8
and
universal
design.
Specialists
with
specific
knowledge
in
the
fields
of
ergonomics
and
workplace
design
for
people
with
disabilities
are
essential
for
creating
adapted
working
environments.
! The
Erasmus+
programme
should
tackle
the
promotion
and
the
development
of
training
opportunities
for
ergonomics
specialists
focused
on
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities.
It
should
support
the
accessibility
of
training
about
workplace
adjustments
for
people
with
all
types
of
disabilities.
! The
full
potential
of
the
‘flexicurity
approach’
-­‐
flexible
employment
schemes
-­‐
should
be
used
and
promoted.
This
approach
aims
at
tailor-­‐made
job
opportunities
addressing
the
needs
and
abilities
of
people
with
disabilities
while
providing
them
with
the
needed
security,
including
flexible
social
protection
schemes.
! Instruments
to
collect
accurate
and
comparable
data
on
employment
and
on
the
situation
of
people
with
disabilities
in
employment
must
be
developed.
A
close
cooperation
with
Eurostat
is
needed,
and
a
closer
cooperation
with
researchers
and
the
academic
world
should
be
put
in
place,
especially
regarding
Ergonomics.
Data
collection
should
add
value
for
employers
when
implementing
ergonomic
workplaces.
The
data
should
be
used
to
influence
employers
and
to
raise
awareness.
! In
order
to
have
a
clear
overview
of
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
in
terms
of
employment,
it
is
crucial
to
involve
the
representatives
of
the
disability
sector
and
the
academic
world
in
political
consultations
on
relevant
topics.
The
European
Commission
needs
to
consider
the
impact
of
any
European
policy
on
related
schemes
for
people
with
disability.
! As
part
of
the
EC’s
efforts
to
tackle
long-­‐term
unemployment,
it
is
important
to
pay
specific
attention
to
the
long-­‐term
unemployment
of
people
with
disabilities
and
consider
ergonomic
improvements
as
a
solution
to
tackle
this
problem.
! The
European
Social
Fund
should
also
be
used
for
ensuring
employment
opportunities
for
people
with
disabilities
through
improving
reasonable
accommodation
and
accessibility
at
work.
! Provide
training
and
information
sessions
for
young
people
with
disabilities
seeking
employment
about
workplace
ergonomics
through
the
EU
Youth
Guarantee
Programme.
6.2.Recommendations
to
the
national
authorities
in
the
piloting
countries
While
the
European
Union
recognized
employment
and
social
policy
as
a
priority
sphere,
these
fields
remain
a
Member
State
competence.
Therefore,
the
issue
of
inclusion
of
people
with
disabilities
in
employment
also
needs
to
be
addressed
at
national
level.
Following
is
the
set
of
recommendations
for
the
national
authorities
in
piloting
countries:
! In
order
to
ensure
and
protect
the
rights
of
persons
with
disabilities,
a
legal
framework
is
always
fundamental.
Therefore,
the
partnership
recommends
that
the
Member
States
promote
a
legal
framework
guaranteeing
adapted
and
fully
accessible
workplaces
of
high
quality.
! A
top
down
approach
needs
to
be
adopted,
ensuring
that
decision
makers
(on
national
and
corporative
levels)
gain
awareness
and
initiate
the
internal
ergonomic
changes.
! It
is
also
necessary
to
raise
awareness
among
employers,
human
resources
managers,
non-­‐
disabled
employees
and
the
public
in
general
about
specific
needs
of
people
with
disabilities.
Improvements
need
to
be
made
in
terms
of
information
and
overall
culture
at
workplaces.
Employers
need
to
be
aware
of
their
obligations
and
of
different
types
of
disabilities
that

10. 9
require
greater
tailoring
of
workplace
adaptation.
The
general
awareness
of
the
topics
of
ergonomic
design,
universal
design,
inclusive
design
and
accessible
design
needs
to
be
raised
through
involvement
of
experts
and
training.
Specialised
trainings
and
seminars
need
to
be
financially
supported
by
relevant
Policy
and
System
makers
(Ministries,
Local
and
Regional
Authorities),
and/or
organised
within
the
scope
of
work
of
Chambers
of
Commerce,
Trade
Unions,
Public
Consultancy
Bodies
etc.
! In
addition,
better
information
is
also
needed
for
the
disabled
employees.
They
need
to
be
aware
of
their
rights,
of
EU
provisions
for
meeting
their
needs,
and
of
what
adaptations
are
possible
to
facilitate
them.
It
would
be
useful
to
launch
a
campaign
targeting
their
associations
in
order
to
spread
this
type
of
information.
! Furthermore,
more
research
needs
to
be
done
into
assistive
technology
and
accessible
environment
solutions,
as
well
as
into
specific
needs
of
disabled
people,
particularly
in
areas
often
neglected
in
workplace
design.
These
include
mental
health
needs
and
intellectual
disability.
In
addition,
better
knowledge
is
needed
about
adaptations
that
go
beyond
purely
physical
adaptations
to
buildings.
There
is
more
scope
for
adaptations
to
individual
work
areas,
furniture,
environment,
IT
equipment,
software,
and
attitude
training,
to
allow
people
with
disabilities
to
do
jobs
without
the
need
for
changes
in
role,
hours
or
pacing.
! Policies
based
on
‘career
thinking’
as
a
precondition
for
sustainable
employment
should
be
developed,
because
employment
is
not
only
about
finding
a
job.
It
is
essential
to
build
up
a
new
Life-­‐long
Learning
strategy
as
a
very
important
step
forward,
including
adapted
workplaces
and
workplace
design
strategies.
Sustainable
and
inclusive
employment
is
only
possible
when
Life-­‐long
Learning
is
organised
and
implemented
in
such
a
way
that
people
with
disabilities
can
benefit
from
it.
! Sustainable
employment
of
people
with
disabilities
needs
to
be
facilitated
by
providing
incentives
for
employers
to
hire
disabled
people,
and
to
cover
the
costs
linked
to
adjusting
the
workplace,
not
only
on
a
legislative
level,
but
also
on
actual
implementation
level,
being
flexible
in
setting
conditions
by
which
the
employers
receive
funding,
evaluating
impact
of
undertaken
measures
and
improving
the
system
if
necessary.
Pilot
countries
should
also
provide
information
to
employers
about
possibilities
to
receive
subsidies
to
make
adaptations.
! A
Working
Group
for
Ergonomics
(WGE)
and/or
an
Ergonomics
Coordinator
need
to
be
promoted
in
the
companies
in
order
to
establish
an
operational
approach
with
close
cooperation
with
the
management
on
one
hand,
and
employees
on
the
other.
! A
top
down
“Risk
list”
needs
to
be
promoted
for
each
company,
specifying
priority,
level
of
danger,
frequency
etc.
and
being
based
on
a
detailed
annual
evaluation
of
previous
accidents,
injuries,
reasons
for
absence
from
work,
on
work
assessment,
and
efficiency
assessment.
! Active
involvement
of
employees
in
ergonomic
improvements
at
the
work
should
be
promoted,
as
employees
know
their
workplace
the
most.
Regular
evaluation
with
questionnaires,
interviews,
individual
workplace
plans
etc.
should
be
implemented.
! National
authorities
should
also
promote
the
establishment
of
(supported
employment)
agencies
that
assist
employers
in
adapting
the
workplace,
coaching,
job
design,
job
creation
and
all
other
services
required
to
support
people
with
disabilities
in
employment.
In
addition,
the
Member
States
should
provide
financial
means
for
supported
employment
schemes
to
enable
them
to
exchange
models
of
good
practice
in
order
to
fulfil
their
role
as
a
bridge

11. 10
between
labour
demand
and
supply.
It
is
also
necessary
to
note
that
better
publicity
is
needed
for
organizations
working
with
people
with
disabilities.
! Standardisation
in
educating,
designing
and
employing
ergonomic
principles
should
be
promoted.
Chambers
of
Commerce,
Trade
Unions,
Expert
associations,
boards,
and
consultancies
need
to
be
encouraged
to
intensify
actions
towards
standardisation.
Existing
oversee
standards
can
be
used
as
guidelines,
for
example
US
OSHA
standard
(www.osha.gov).
! Employment
and
career
prospects
for
people
with
disabilities
in
the
labour
market
could
clearly
be
improved
by
opening
up
the
public
sector
at
local,
regional
and
national
levels.
The
public
sector
needs
to
set
an
example
by
providing
adapted
and
accessible
workplaces
for
persons
with
disabilities.
A
specialised
agency
might
be
needed
to
help
public
employers
introduce
disability-­‐friendly
solutions
in
workplace
design.
! To
achieve
these
goals,
Member
States
should
include
in
their
Action
Plans
measures
to
combat
discrimination
and
social
exclusion.
Plans
with
clear
targets
should
be
set
and
achieved
on
the
reduction
of
unemployment
rates
and
the
increase
of
employment
rates
of
persons
with
disabilities
through
improvement
in
workplace
design
and
adaptation.
! Long-­‐term
unemployment
among
people
with
disabilities
should
be
tackled.
Improvements
in
workplace
ergonomic
should
be
seen
as
an
instrument
to
tackle
this
issue.
! The
European
Social
Fund
should
be
used
for
ensuring
employment
opportunities
for
people
with
disabilities
through
improving
reasonable
accommodation
and
accessibility
at
work.
! Provide
training
and
information
sessions
for
young
people
with
disabilities
searching
for
jobs
about
workplace
ergonomics
through
the
EU
Youth
Guarantee
Programme
at
national
level.
7 CONCLUSIONS
The
inclusion
of
people
with
disabilities
in
the
labour
market
is
not
possible
without
ensuring
their
ability
to
physically
access
their
working
places.
In
order
to
fulfil
the
provisions
of
the
Article
27
of
the
UNCRP
on
equal
employment
opportunities,
the
working
environment
needs
to
be
adapted
to
meet
their
specific
needs
and
facilitate
their
day-­‐to-­‐day
operations.
Ergonomic
solutions
at
workplace
can
not
only
ensure
equal
opportunities
for
people
regardless
of
their
abilities,
but
also
improve
the
economic
efficiency
of
companies.
It
is
clear
that
universal
design
at
workplace
that
provides
these
equal
opportunities
is
beneficial
from
many
points
of
view.
However,
to
achieve
inclusive
employment
opportunities
it
is
crucial
to
provide
specific
training
to
students
studying
workplace
ergonomics.
Specialized
training
that
focuses
on
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
should
provide
comprehensive
knowledge
of
the
topic
area.
For
this
reason,
it
is
important
that
decision
makers
on
both
European
and
national
levels
take
the
recommendations
presented
in
this
article
for
future
policy
actions.

12. 11
8 ANNEX
I.
SUMMARIZED
RECOMMENDATIONS
FOR
MULTIDISCIPLINARY
CURRICULUM
ERGONOMICS
Summarising
the
findings
of
the
Report
on
the
In-­‐depth
Analysis,
ERGO
WORK
partnership
agreed
on
the
following
list
of
recommendations
for
developing
or
improving
curriculum
content
relating
to
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
in
the
workplace:
• Raise
awareness,
understanding
and
empathy
among
students
about
the
varied
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
rather
than
placing
the
focus
on
specific
‘groups’
and
their
needs.
This
is
important
because
the
needs
of
people
with
disabilities
are
varied
and
may
differ
from
person
to
person.
• However,
some
specific
groups
are
less
researched
and
understood
in
terms
of
adaptations
in
the
workplace.
Therefore
we
argue
that
greater
emphasis
should
be
placed
on
the
better
understanding
of
hearing
impairment,
mental
health
needs
and
intellectual
impairment.
All
of
these
are
currently
poorly
covered
in
the
curricula
about
people
with
disabilities
and
workplace
design.
• Teach
from
a
perspective
of
‘inclusive
design’
or
‘universal
design’
so
that
methods
can
be
applied
across
different
contexts
and
scenarios.
• Ensure
all
students
gain
in-­‐depth
knowledge
on
the
topic,
without
limiting
the
coverage
to
only
those
students
who
choose
projects
related
to
people
with
disabilities.
• Help
students
develop
empathic
skills
through
the
use
of
empathic
equipment,
case
studies
and
personas.
• Teaching
should
include
some
interaction
with
people
with
disabilities
as
part
of
every
student’s
training,
including
‘older
people’
–
this
is
an
essential
part
of
good
practice
in
inclusive
design
and
Occupational
Therapy
teaching.
• Include
more
knowledge
about
mental
health
needs
in
the
workplace,
in
particular
in
relation
to
job
design
and
interventions.
Material
for
this
will
most
likely
have
to
be
sought
in
the
area
of
Occupational
Health
curricula,
as
it
is
rare
in
Ergonomics
and
Occupational
Therapy
curriculum
material.
• Place
a
focus
on
linking
workplace
interventions
to
persons
with
disabilities
needs
–
currently
most
Ergonomics
training
in
relation
to
the
workplace
tends
to
focus
on
prevention
of
harm,
increasing
efficiency
etc.
We
recommend
focusing
more
on
increasing
opportunity
and
enabling
people
with
disabilities
to
carry
out
normal
jobs.
• There
is
a
need
to
explore
Occupational
Health
and
OT
curricula
for
specific
content
relating
to
persons
with
disabilities,
as
it
appears
that
this
content
was
most
closely
aligned
to
the
aims
of
the
project
and
stakeholder
needs.
• Explore
curricula
and
include
knowledge
from
organisational
behaviour
and
occupational
psychology
–
this
is
essential
for
the
success
of
workplace
interventions.
• Share
knowledge
about
tools
for
inclusive
design
–
These
include
physical
tools
such
as
empathy
simulators,
and
software
tools
such
as
hearing
and
vision
simulator
software,
specialised
building
design
software
and
specialised
ergonomics
anthropometry
analysis.
• Consider
including
knowledge
about
Assistive
technology.
• Consider
including
knowledge
about
Accessible
environments.
• Consider
ultimately
seeking
accreditation
from
European
Ergonomist
(CREE)
for
any
specialised
content
that
is
developed.

13. 12
9 LEGAL
DISCLAIMER
This
project
has
been
funded
with
support
from
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[communication]
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and
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cannot
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held
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which
may
be
made
of
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http://ec.europa.eu/dgs/education_culture/publ/graphics/agencies/use-­‐translation.pdf