Disabled persons sensory disablement

The RRFSO requires that any person appointed by the responsible person is given appropriate information about the factors that could affect the safety of all persons and about any person working within the organisation who may be more at risk (disabled persons, sensory impaired persons, etc.). 

Specific at risk groups (persons) Disabled non-ambulant persons Sensory impaired persons Young persons Those with psychological/learning difficulties... 

Schizophrenia is a chronic and disabling mental illness, characterized by the presence of psychotic symptoms, including hallucinations and delusions. Hallucinations are sensory misperceptions, in which a person will experience an auditory, visual, or other sensory experience in the absence of an observable stimulus. Thus, persons experiencing a hallucination will, for example, hear voices speaking v hen there are no persons near by, or see things that other persons do not see. Persons with schizophrenia usually have auditory hallucinations, but may also have hallucinations in other sensory modalities. 

What makes a person like Hinckley disabled His ability to shoot others, a premeditated crime that we interpret as a disability due to a disease. Disability produced by deviant ability is as different from disability due to physical limitation as mental illness is different from bodily illness. The bizarre act of a so-called mental patient, whether murder or self-mutilation, is a complex performance, an ability most people lack. In contrast, the disability of a physically sick person, such as blindness or paralysis, is the absence of an innate sensory or motor ability, not the lack of a social skill or the rejection of responsibility. Attributing adult dependency to disabling disease is as fallacious and misguided as is attributing crime to mental illness. 

In order to use assistive technology, people with disabilities need to be able to operate the technology. With limitations in motor and/or sensory systems, often a specially designed or configured interface system must be assembled. It could be as simple as several switches or a miniaturized keyboard or as complex as an integrated control system that allows a person to drive a wheelchair and operate a computer and a... 

For example, it is likely that the courts will find that reasonable care has been exercised by a company when making arrangements for the safe evacuation of a building in the case of fire if it has ensured sufficient arrangements for the management of the young, infirm, disabled and sensory impaired persons. 

Disabled/sensory impaired persons >- Those with physical impairments or sensory impairment that may prevent awareness or response >- Expectant/nursing mothers, who may be more susceptible to physical/mental stresses. 

It follows that a sensory disabled person may have difficulties not only in perceiving the risk associated with a fire in a building but may not hear the audible evacuation warning or be able to recognise the way out. It is therefore essential to identify the special needs of any disabled employees when planning your fire safety arrangements and evacuation procedures, for example those with sensory impairments ... 

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