| There has also been some confusion regarding how | | | | terms of job performance, the reality is that |
| employers may make their workplace environment | | | | reasonable accommodation actually refers to far more |
| accessible to persons with disabilities. Unfortunately, | | | | sweeping and inclusive workplace issues. |
| certain employers have attempted in the past to skirt | | | | One such issue deals with fire alarms. When it comes |
| around hiring a disabled person usually claiming the | | | | to employees who are deaf, the ability to hear a fire |
| disability interfered with the employee's capacity to | | | | alarm is an impossibility. There needs to be a back up, |
| co-exist in the workplace environment. The passage | | | | so to speak, that alerts hearing impaired employees of |
| of the Americans With Disabilities Act in the 1990's | | | | an alarm going off. A fire alarm strobe is the perfect |
| provided guidance for employers wishing to help | | | | solution to such an issue and it does not cause any |
| employees with disabilities and taking the ammo out of | | | | undue hardship to an employer. |
| the guns of those looking to preclude disabled people | | | | A fire alarm strobe is exactly what its name would |
| from their business. | | | | suggest. A strobe light is attached to the alarm and |
| The Americans With Disabilities Act states, in part, that | | | | when the alarm is sounded, the flashing, blinking, even |
| employers must provide reasonable accommodation | | | | spinning lights provide a clear visual notification that an |
| to a handicapped employee provided the | | | | alarm has been engaged and activated. With the aid |
| accommodation does not provide an undue hardship | | | | of the flashing lights, a deaf person would be quickly |
| on the employer. What this means is that if an | | | | alerted to the safety hazard of a fire having broken |
| employee has a disability that affects life activities and | | | | out and would be able to react accordingly. The |
| workplace productivity to a significant degree, the | | | | inclusion of a fire alarm strobe to a business fire alarm |
| employer must provide a remedy to any impediments | | | | system allows for the safety of welfare of all the |
| to job conditions or over all comfort level the | | | | employees and adverts a tragedy from happening. |
| employee's condition may yield, unless such a remedy | | | | Fire alarm strobe systems are relatively inexpensive |
| would be out of the company's affordability or | | | | and there is a model to fit any company's budget. |
| resources. While most assume that accommodations | | | | Investing in such an alarm system is highly advised. |
| are exclusive to making changes in the workforce in | | | | |