The severity of your seizures will usually dictate this. If you have complete control over your seizures, you may not need special workplace safety considerations other than general safe working practices. However, if you only have partial control of your seizures, you may need to make some safety adjustments in your workplace. By making some small adjustments, your work environment can be a safer place.
Here are some helpful tips you can use at your workplace to ensure your safety, just in case a seizure happens while you are at work:
Know Your Limitations
While there are many career possibilities for people with epilepsy, there are some careers that are not safe for people who do not have complete control of their seizures, such as being a pilot, a driver, or a firefighter. Although gaining full control of your seizures could allow you to take on high-risk positions like these, it may place your safety -- and the safety of others -- at risk if you have uncontrolled seizures.
Take the Elevator
If you do not have fully controlled seizures, it is wise to opt for the elevator instead of the stairs. If you have a seizure while traveling up or down the stairs of your workplace, you are at risk of falling and causing serious injury to yourself.
Use Carpets and Rugs in the Office
Carpets and rugs can soften your fall if you suffer from a seizure while you are at work. These can reduce both the impact of the fall and the injury sustained from some types of seizures. While it's impossible for you to personally outfit your entire office with soft landings, consider placing an area rug in your workspace. If your office has both hard and carpeted areas already, try to walk on the soft surfaces.
Use the Buddy System
Some seizures may cause you to wander off and not be completely aware of your surroundings. If this is the case, let someone know if you are leaving your work area so that they do not worry about where you have gone. A sign out sheet may also be helpful for this. That way, if a coworker sees that you are not in your work area and you have not signed out or told anyone, someone can look for you.
Consider Helmets, Gloves and Other Safety Equipment
There are many safety devices that can be used to help keep you safe at work, including harnesses, helmets and gloves. Harnesses and helmets can be used if you have a job where you are working in high places, and they can be used to protect yourself just in case you fall during a seizure. Special gloves can be used if you are working with sharp equipment; they can prevent serious injuries just in case you have a seizure while cutting materials. Of course these will not be suitable for all jobs, but they are worthy of consideration.
Look into Other Transportation Options
If you hold a position that requires frequent travel, you may not feel comfortable driving if your seizures are not completely controlled. Some states will not allow you to drive without a neurologist’s note saying that it is OK for you to do so. If you are not comfortable driving, or cannot, you can use a taxi or car service to drive back and forth to your destination. Additionally, if you are driving to and from work, you may be able to carpool with a coworker that lives nearby.
Tell Your Coworkers
Some people do not want their employer or coworkers to know about their epilepsy. However, others tell their coworkers so that they know what to do in the event that a seizure does occur at work -- a serious benefit to upping your safety in the workplace.
Take Your Breaks
If you work long hours, make sure that you take your anticonvulsants on time and that you get plenty of rest. Not taking your medication and not getting enough sleep could affect your seizure control.
Source:
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/epilepsy.html. Accessed: 14 August 2008.
