Disability and Covid risk assessment

Yes. Here’s what you need to know. We know that disabled people are more vulnerable to Covid-19 than non-disabled people.

If you recognise as being disabled, you are protected by the Equality Act 2010. 

Having a disability is defined by the act as ‘someone who has a mental or physical impairment which has a substantial and long-term impact (12 months or more) on your ability to do day-to-day activities.’

But what does this mean for you and your job? Employers have a particular duty to look after the safety of their disabled staff during the pandemic. 

As a disabled person, you have the right not to be directly or indirectly discriminated against at work. 

You also have the right to reasonable adjustments by way of a risk assessment. 

What does a Covid-19 risk assessment look like?

A risk assessment will

• Identify what work activity or situations might cause transmission of the virus
• Consider who could be at risk
• Decide how likely it is that someone could be exposed
• Act to remove the activity or situation, or if this isn’t possible, control the risk

Examples of a reasonable adjustment following a Covid-19 risk assessment could be:

• organising your workload to allow you to work from home as much as possible
• staggering your start time so you travel when public transport is less busy.