Disability news
Disability forum will 'discuss life improvement'
6th January 2009
A seminar discussing how to improve the lives of persons with disabilities is to be held in the US next week.
The forum is sponsored by the National Council on Disability, which works to promote the full integration and independence of disabled people.
It is hosted at the Chaparral Suites Resort, Arizona on Tuesday January 13th and will feature keynote speeches by several professionals from a variety of organisations involved in working for disability rights. read more »
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Employers urged to implement absence management
6th January 2009
An insurer is urging employers to implement best practices in the workplace in order to reduce absence levels.
Norwich Union, soon to be Aviva, has launched a campaign entitled Simply Safety aimed at promoting awareness of occupational health hazards.
The firm cited figures from the Health and Safety Executive that reveal two-fifths of minor injuries resulting in three or more days of absence in 2007-08 were caused by lifting, handling or carrying. read more »
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Employers 'must carry out risk assessments'
5th January 2009
It is vital that employers carry out risk assessments in the workplace in order to combat occupational health issues, it has been said.
Jo Stagg, a senior press officer for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, stated that it is "really important" for firms to conduct the assessments to avoid workers developing musculoskeletal health issues.
"We know that musculoskeletal disorders are the most common occupational illness in Britain and they actually affect about a million people a year," she noted. read more »
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Government criticised for UN disability rights delays
5th January 2009
The government has been criticised for missing the deadline to ratify the United Nations' Convention on Disability Rights.
Andrew Dismore, the chairman of parliament's joint select committee on human rights, said that he was disappointed at the news that ministers had failed to approve the terms of the convention.
The aim of the international treaty was to ensure equal treatment for persons with disabilities in all aspects of life, including employment. read more »
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Employers 'should use technology' for flexible working
5th January 2009
Employers must take advantage of the modern technology available to them in order to implement schemes such as flexible working, it has been claimed.
High-tech applications can be used as tools to help companies tackle the economic downturn as well as meet staff and customers' needs, according to John Dunsmure, the managing director of the British Chambers of Commerce. read more »
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