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#1 Posted : 25 September 2007 10:36:00(UTC)
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Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter
Just been advised that a former employee is rejoining our company who is known to have a fit and will be working in an office environment. In the last 12 months he has been 'clean' due to medication I'm lead to believe.
Q1. Where will I find knowledge on the subject?
Q2. Does a R.A. need to be done on their joining?
Q£. What else should I need to know? Does anyone else have info on the subject they are willing to share?

Thanks in advance for any help you may proffer.

Badger
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#2 Posted : 25 September 2007 10:56:00(UTC)
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Posted By Tarquin Farquor
Barrie,

Have a google on 'epilepsy', this will bring up some good sites of information regarding the subject.

Speak to and involve the person concerned.

Check this but I think that epilepsy would be covered by the DDA and its subsequent requirements for reasonable adjustments.

You may also find it beneficial to speak to your local NHS, they often have specialists in this area that you can talk to regarding the various differing forms of epilepsy.

Regards,

TF

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#3 Posted : 25 September 2007 10:57:00(UTC)
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Posted By Tarquin Farquor
Barrie,

Have a look at this.

http://www.epilepsy.org....fo/employers/health.html

Regards,

TF
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#4 Posted : 25 September 2007 11:04:00(UTC)
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Posted By Julian Wilkinson
Perhaps you would also want to consider that your first aiders are trained in first aid procedures
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#5 Posted : 25 September 2007 11:09:00(UTC)
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Posted By Sheila EJ Keogh
Barrie,

You need to have procedures ready in case your employee does suffer another fit in the workplace. Does emp want the first aiders to know of his/her condition? If not, you can let 1st aiders know that an unnamed employee has the potential to suffer a fit at work and ask them to revise their knowledge of what to do (or not to do!). Do you have a private room where s/he can rest after a fit? If s/he has a fit at work, particularly if severe, they usually need to contact their specialist clinic afterwards to inform them (maybe to discuss the triggers, check no harm, and in case it transpires that medication needs increasing/changing etc). (Some fits are very minor and would not even be noticed by non-first aiders as being a fit).

Sheila
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#6 Posted : 25 September 2007 11:30:00(UTC)
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Posted By Barrie (Badger) Etter
As ever the IOSH team have come up tops again.
Thanks to TF, Julian and Sheilah for your very helpful answers.

Badger
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#7 Posted : 25 September 2007 13:08:00(UTC)
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Posted By Pat Hannaway
Hi Barrie,
as mentioned earlier, speak to the employee when the begin work...tactfully. Discuss the type of siezure & frequency. It may be an infrequent occurence or more often. Ask about their recovery periods as these can vary from a few minutes to over an hour.

As a first aider I have worked and dealt with a number of people over the years who have had siezures: I am aware that that these events can be much more traumatic for bystanders. Provided that the employee does not injure him / her self and is allowed a suitable rest period (if a major siezure) there should be no real issues. Only call an ambulance if the person has a serious injury or it is their first siezure.

Pat
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#8 Posted : 25 September 2007 14:04:00(UTC)
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Posted By Lilian McCartney
Hi Barrie,

as with the others:

1 speak to the person
2 get info from epilepsy org (if epilepsy), NHS Direct, Occ Health, persons medical team as approp.
3 consider triggers and warning signs
4 have a few poeple aware and trained to deal with major seizure
5 have procedure of when to call medical assistance etc
6 procedure for afterwards e.g. when do they go home, who takes them, can they recover at work etc
7 try not to be over protective advise managers on condition etc(we have someone who's manager took some time to get used to having an employee who could occasionally have a fit and the Manager got in such a 'panic' about it it made the meployee feel awkward).
8 think about office layout - amount of stuff lying aorund which could be somewhere else to reduce hittable objects if falling

Lilian
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