September is national Albinism Awareness month. People with albinism face significant societal challenges.
Justene Smith, disability expert from Progression said that they also struggle to be accepted in the workplace.
“Workplace accommodation that can be put in place for people with albinism are not major, but they are necessary. Some need to be accommodated to successfully perform their jobs, but some people don’t,” she said.
Six measures that organisations need to put into place when employing people with albinism:
• Provide hand-held magnifiers for people with visual impairments. This can assist a person when reading smaller print or hard copy text.
• Consider the positioning of the person’s desk and the lighting in their working environment.
• People with visual impairments should also take regular breaks from visually demanding work to avoid eye strain. Consideration should also be given to the length of time given for computer work.
• There are many tools available to make computers work easier. All operating systems from Windows 7 and newer have a pre-installed magnifier tool, which assists people with visual impairments when reading. Alternatively, there are other options such as JAWS or providing larger monitors.
• They should be given offices that do not get too much sunlight or windows need to be covered with blinds to reduce sunlight. People with albinism have highly sensitive skins thus should not be exposed to direct sunlight.
• Cleaners need to consult employees with albinism before using any new cleaning products in the office as certain brands may react negatively with their skin.
ALSO READ: People living with Albinism embrace their month
“To achieve an inclusive society the people can start by making simple accommodations for people with disabilities such as albinism. Until we make a concerted effort to stop discrimination of people with albinism, the horrible violence and ridicule many of these people experience will not cease,”said Smith.
According to the Employment Equity Act reasonable accommodation can be defined as “any modification or adjustment to a job or to the working environment that will enable a person from a designated group to have access to, or participate or advance in employment”
ALSO READ: Dialogue on albinism underway
