Locate State Resources for Workers with Developmental Disabilities at the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health website – HERE
Approximately 4.5 million individuals in the United States have developmental disabilities such as intellectual disability, autism, Down syndrome, cerebral palsy, traumatic brain injury, and epilepsy. An estimated 30 percent of working-age adults in this population are employed, either in facility-based settings (“sheltered workshops”) or in the conventional labor market. The number of those employed has increased steadily since the 1990s and this growth is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.
Like all other workers, workers with developmental disabilities (WDD) are at risk of experiencing a work-related injury or illness. Some research has indicated that WDD may be at increased risk on the job due to characteristics of their disabilities such as poor judgment, lack of awareness of danger, impulsivity and restlessness, and difficulties communicating. However, since there is no national data source that specifically tracks work-related illness and injury among WDD, the true illness and injury risk is unknown.
Regardless of the real or perceived barriers to ensuring the safety and health of WDD, NIOSH fully supports this policy statement provided by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration: “working conditions should safeguard the safety and health of all workers, including those with special needs and limitations.” In addition, safety and health concerns should not be a barrier to the employment rights of the developmentally disabled.
