Workers with Developmental Disabilities

Approximately 4.5 million individuals in the United States have developmental disabilities such as mental retardation, 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.

This page contains links to the key research that has been conducted by NIOSH and others on the safety and health of WDD. It also contains links to organizations that are working to promote safer working conditions for all workers, including those with disabilities.

Database of State Resources for Workers with Developmental Disabilities

In 1999, NIOSH conducted a study of 11 sheltered workshops in 4 states and published recommendations for protecting the health and safety of workers with developmental disabilities. An important conclusion of the study was that workers with developmental disabilities would benefit from increased management awareness of WDD safety and health issues. In particular, NIOSH researchers noted that managers of WDD were found to have limited understanding of federal and state regulations concerning the health and safety of their employees and did not know where to go to find answers to their questions.

As one step toward improving the occupational safety and health situation of WDD, NIOSH has created a database that addresses the knowledge gaps identified in the 1999 study. The database contains the following state-specific information that can be used by employers, parents, and guardians of WDD:

• Identification of the state agency with primary responsibility for employment of WDD,
• A brief description of the regulations that cover sheltered and non-sheltered employment of WDD,
• A brief description of the regulations that cover health and safety of WDD,
• Information on how to report suspected abuse and neglect of the WDD.

Click on the map below, or the state name, to obtain state-specific information:

NIOSH will periodically update this database but users should be aware that the information provided changes regularly. If you come across outdated information, please contact NIOSH at ddworkers@cdc.gov.

Federal Government Resources for Workers with Developmental Disabilities

Office of the Surgeon General. (2001 February). Closing the Gap: A National Blueprint for Improving the Health of Individuals with Mental Retardation. Report of the Surgeon General's Conference on Health Disparities and Mental Retardation. Rockville, MD: Office of the Surgeon General.
http://www.surgeongeneral.gov/topics/mentalretardation/retardation.pdf

DisabilityInfo.gov — is a comprehensive online resource designed to provide access to disability-related information and programs available across the government on numerous subjects, including benefits, civil rights, community life, education, employment, housing, health, technology and transportation.
http://www.disabilityinfo.gov

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD) — work includes identifying the causes of and preventing birth defects and developmental disabilities, helping children to develop and reach their full potential, and promoting health and well-being among people of all ages with disabilities. http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/

U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Disability Employment Policy, Job Accommodation Network — a free consulting service designed to increase the employability of people with disabilities by providing individualized worksite accommodations solutions, providing technical assistance regarding the ADA and other disability related legislation, and educating callers about self-employment options.
http://www.jan.wvu.edu/

U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
http://www.osha.gov/

U.S. Department of Education, The National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research (NIDRR) — provides leadership and support for a comprehensive program of research related to the rehabilitation of individuals with disabilities. All of our programmatic efforts are aimed at improving the lives of individuals with disabilities from birth through adulthood.
http://www.ed.gov/about/offices/list/osers/nidrr/index.html

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Disability — oversees the implementation and coordination of disability programs, policies and special initiatives for 54 million persons with disabilities.
http://www.hhs.gov/od/about/index.html

NIOSH Publications

NIOSH Health Hazard Evaluations

NIOSH conducts Health Hazard Evaluations to find out whether there are health hazards to employees caused by exposures or conditions in the workplace:

Health Hazard Evaluation Report 90-0251-2128 (1991). Dow Jones and Company, Inc., Dallas, Texas.

Health Hazard Evaluation Report 97-0112-2738 (1999). Handi- Shop, Inc., Mexico, Missouri.

Health Hazard Evaluation Report 2002-0218-2881 (2002). Jergens Road Adult Services Center, Dayton, Ohio.

NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program

The FACE program provides interested users with access to the full text of hundreds of fatality investigation reports.

NIOSH Fatality Assessment and Control Evaluation (FACE) Program, California Case Report 95CA021 (October 31, 1996). Developmentally Disabled Worker Dies After Being Run Over by a Front-end Loader in California.

Other Resources and Reports

American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) — formerly known as the American Association on Mental Retardation (AAMR), promotes healthier lives for individuals with intellectual disabilities and supports health-related research, training, advocacy, and progressive public policy.
http://www.aaidd.org/

The Arc --- is the world's largest grassroots organization of and for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The Arc is devoted to promoting and improving supports and services for all people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. http://www.thearc.org/NetCommunity/Page.aspx?&pid=1386&srcid=1386

Protecting Workers with Developmental Disabilities (Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 15(2), 171-81).
http://www2a.cdc.gov/nioshtic-2/BuildQyr.asp?s1=developmental+disabilities& f1=%2A&Startyear=&Adv=0&terms=1&D1=10&EndYear=&Limit=10000& sort=&PageNo=1&RecNo=3&View=f&

Job Stress and Infectious Disease Risk in an Adult Developmental Center (Applied Occupational and Environmental Hygiene 2003; 18(8), 561-65).
http://www2a.cdc.gov/nioshtic-%0d%0a2/BuildQyr.asp?s1=developmental+ disabilities& f1=%2A&Startyear=&Adv=0&-%0d%0aterms=1 &D1=10&EndYear=&Limit=10000&sort=&PageNo=1&RecNo=1&View=f&