Workplace Considerations for Employees with Epilepsy

Epilepsy is the term for a group of neurological conditions characterised by the occurrence of seizures, which are sudden bursts of electrical activity in the brain. These seizures can range in severity from a person being alert, staring off to the distance, to loss of consciousness and uncontrollable spasms. It is reported that 1 in 5 people will experience a single seizure at some stage of their life. Medications can be used to control the occurrence of seizures, but it can take time to find the right medication and dosage. In Ireland, there are an estimated 37,000 people over the age of 5 living with epilepsy and it can be diagnosed at any stage of life. Whether or not a person’s diagnosis of epilepsy impacts their ability to safely carry out their work tasks depends on a range of factors including frequency and triggers of seizures, the type of role and potential safety impact of having a seizure while carrying out their tasks. In this episode I am going to outline the basic health, safety and ergonomic considerations for DSE based employees that disclose a diagnosis of epilepsy. The blog for this episode can be found at:https://boyneergonomics.ie/workplace-considerations-for-employees-with-epilepsy/As always, I can be found online and on social media:[email protected]: boyne_ergonomicsTwitter: niamh_pentonyLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niamhpentony