Omega Owners Forum
Chat Area => General Discussion Area => Topic started by: bertiecbx550 on 25 February 2010, 22:23:58
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As some you already know i was diagnosed in oct/nov with type 2 diabetes.Now our contract has changed to another company and i have a meeting with the national contract manager and supervisor 2mora night. And well i`m worried that they will terminate my contract as i`ve been told by a union rep for usdaw who works on the retail park that i should not be working alone on nights in case i hypo or go into a diabetic coma...An to be quite honest its scared the poo outa me as i know i wont go onto dayshift as there are no vacancies and nobody will swop as they dont want to do permanant nights....So if any body knows how i should handle this please tell me as i`ve already gne through ACAS`s website and cant find any answers there.... :-/ :-/ :(
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I doubt there is a specific regulation which prohibits you from working by yoursself Bertie.
If the company treat you in a fashion which could be seen as disadvantaged because of your condition they might be on thin ice legally, let them do the talking if possible, you wont inadvertently dig yourself into a hole that way.Tkae notes of what they are saying, or better still take one of those little dictaphone recorders with you and ask if they mind you using it in case you need to remember who said what etc.
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As some you already know i was diagnosed in oct/nov with type 2 diabetes.Now our contract has changed to another company and i have a meeting with the national contract manager and supervisor 2mora night. And well i`m worried that they will terminate my contract as i`ve been told by a union rep for usdaw who works on the retail park that i should not be working alone on nights in case i hypo or go into a diabetic coma...An to be quite honest its scared the poo outa me as i know i wont go onto dayshift as there are no vacancies and nobody will swop as they dont want to do permanant nights....So if any body knows how i should handle this please tell me as i`ve already gne through ACAS`s website and cant find any answers there.... :-/ :-/ :(
As usual a union rep knows bugger all..
These reactions are mainly associated with type 1, badly managed type 2 can eventually lead to this
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Managed type 2 should not be a problem, you can provide medical evidence from you consultant or GP if necessary and they can not, legally, discriminate against a disability if you are capable of doing the Job. They have to consider redeployment. You need advice from the Union but suggest you request a more knowledgeable rep....... :)
I am no expert on this but it is an area I am getting into work wise, already had a positive result..... :y
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Have you a security guard on site when you are working alone?
If you have then the company can hire a paging system that you carry around with you that is called a lone working device, if for any reason you stop moving for more than 2 mins or collaps on your side for more than 30seconds then it will automatically page a person within a 2 mile radius and alert them there may be a problem.
I work alone and use such a device, our routine is that if the device is triggered then our security contacts me via mobile to firstly check if it a false or emergency alarm, if there is no answer after 3 attempts then he is instructed to contact emergency services and then find me.
Lone Working Regulations:-http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf
WHAT I USE
Lone Working device :- http://www.mdh-uk.co.uk/id40.html
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Have you a security guard on site when you are working alone?
If you have then the company can hire a paging system that you carry around with you that is called a lone working device, if for any reason you stop moving for more than 2 mins or collaps on your side for more than 30seconds then it will automatically page a person within a 2 mile radius and alert them there may be a problem.
I work alone and use such a device, our routine is that if the device is triggered then our security contacts me via mobile to firstly check if it a false or emergency alarm, if there is no answer after 3 attempts then he is instructed to contact emergency services and then find me.
Lone Working Regulations:-http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf
WHAT I USE
Lone Working device :- http://www.mdh-uk.co.uk/id40.html
Great idea, and lone working is a massive problem. The difficulty in this case is that being static, with an alarm will stop him oofing while at work....... :D :D
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Have you a security guard on site when you are working alone?
If you have then the company can hire a paging system that you carry around with you that is called a lone working device, if for any reason you stop moving for more than 2 mins or collaps on your side for more than 30seconds then it will automatically page a person within a 2 mile radius and alert them there may be a problem.
I work alone and use such a device, our routine is that if the device is triggered then our security contacts me via mobile to firstly check if it a false or emergency alarm, if there is no answer after 3 attempts then he is instructed to contact emergency services and then find me.
Lone Working Regulations:-http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg73.pdf
WHAT I USE
Lone Working device :- http://www.mdh-uk.co.uk/id40.html
Great idea, and lone working is a massive problem. The difficulty in this case is that being static, with an alarm will stop him oofing while at work....... :D :D
There is away around that ;-)
There is a button that can be pressed to disable the device for 15mis, e.g while having a slash or rest break. Then it gives you a buzz 10seconds early to warn it is going active again, another press of the button gives a following 15mins. ETC ;-)
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I am the security for the site and nearest help is either supervisor in telford 2 miles from site or Thurrock control centre....And either of them would have no way of knowing if i have been attacked on site or collapsed as there is no check up phone calls like we used to make under the old company.... :-/ I`m gonna have to have words with the boss 2mora over this and see if a check system can be put into place.... :-/
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Don't worry Bertie my wife has type 2 and although she has to be careful i.e. control her diabetes by food she has never had a problem.
:y :y :y :y :y
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Its not the diabetes i`m worried about its the company using it to get rid of me i`m worried about....They have already told us we have to reapply for our jobs in a letter they sent us last week and its worrying me a lot now that they will use this and exploit it. As there is a rumor they are going to get rid of nightshift and rely on the cctv thats operated out of glasgow for all the sites nationwide.... :-/ :o
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As a night Security Officer working alone on site you should be using a regular check-in system when doing your rounds, and an alarm will be raised if you fail to check in.
One of my Security colleagues is diabetic, though we never work alone and always attend night callouts in pairs, his condition has never interfered with his work (gets a bit stroppy sometimes ::)).
As a Unison H&S Rep. "who knows bugger all" i would suggest you arrange for your Union Rep to come and see you as quickly as possible (today) and advise accordingly - best to get it sorted out before you end up on the "outside", a much more difficult negotiating position. :(
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I`m no longer in a union i was only given the advice by a usdaw rep cause he works inhouse security at tesco`s on our site....So i`m on me own in 3 hrs time.... :-/
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You could get areference from your doctor to ay that your diabetes is well controlled. That way your employer may not be able to use it against you.
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I could be wrong here, but isn't diabetes classed as a disability ?.
Maybe a good starting point for you to look at ?.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069
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I could be wrong here, but isn't diabetes classed as a disability ?.
Maybe a good starting point for you to look at ?.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069
Like I said........... ::) ::) ::)
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I`m no longer in a union i was only given the advice by a usdaw rep cause he works inhouse security at tesco`s on our site....So i`m on me own in 3 hrs time.... :-/
The following may help you Bertie.
http://www.diabetes.co.uk/diabetes-forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=3574&start=0&hilit=DISABILITY+LIVING+ALLOWANCE
http://www.diabetes-support.org.uk/joomla/diabetes-and-the-disability-discrimination-act
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Cheers zulu that seems like a good forum and website.... :y :y :y On a serious note though i have been told tonight that i will have to reapply for my job within Aej facilites mangement...Wether i`m successful or not. We shall see until then all i can do is do my job and hopefully convince them i am not the waste of space they think i am..... :-[
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The union rep is not very up to date with current practise mate.
Your management cannot use the fact that you are a type 2 diabetic against you in any way and in fact if they did they would be discriminating against you according to the disability discrimination act.
I know this as unfortunately I have had to carry out redundancy assessments myself on three occassions in the past 2 years and any absence attributed to diabetes could not be included in the assessment as it was against the DDA.
I believe that they will be on dodgy ground if they relate your diabetes to the current issues you have. They should at the very least find you suitable alternative employment in the organisation that does not disadvantage you financialy.
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I could be wrong here, but isn't diabetes classed as a disability ?.
Maybe a good starting point for you to look at ?.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069
Like I said........... ::) ::) ::)
Yeah, I know you beat me to it Vamps, but the more the better to help a fellow OOF member out, always a good thing ...... ::) ::) :) :y
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I am a sata/usdaw rep and I would certainly say that :
1)they cannot discriminate against you under the DDA act
2)under the Working Time Regulations Act 1998 your company should however require you to complete a health assessment to assess your suitability for night work which is there to identify any adjustments that might be required to protect your health.
I would argue that your type of diabetes should not prevent your ability to do the job provided certain adjustments could be made such as some of the emergency contact devices mentioned by others being available. Health and safety is often used by some employers as a reason to deny jobs to workers with "disabilities", but the law states that employers should conduct a risk assesment with the employee being involved in this and that they must make "reasonable" (as always !) adjustments for the employee. If its not too late, join a Union and get some decent advice on this. Any Union is only ever as good as its reps and members but there is always an Area Organizer for example to get good advice from. Even poor employers take notice when a Union rep who knows all the company policies and relevant legal acts starts to make waves as noone wants to face the possible fines and bad publicity that can result from treating their staff unfairly or illegally. Good luck mate :y
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I could be wrong here, but isn't diabetes classed as a disability ?.
Maybe a good starting point for you to look at ?.
http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/DisabledPeople/RightsAndObligations/DisabilityRights/DG_4001069
Like I said........... ::) ::) ::)
Yeah, I know you beat me to it Vamps, but the more the better to help a fellow OOF member out, always a good thing ...... ::) ::) :) :y
Agreed, I have no problem with that..... :y :y
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I've had type 2 diabetes for about 6 years. You don't get hypos while you're in the diet controlled phase. You shouldn't get them when move onto tablets, although you need to be careful - you can overreact and get a bit wobbly when they change your medication. You shouldn't need to go onto medication for at least a couple of years anyway. It all changes if you have to go onto injected insulin, but it usually takes many years before you get to this stage.
Diabetes is classed as a disability under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA), so your employer can't take action against you giving that as a reason.
You need to tell the DVLA and your car insurance people, but as long as you are diet controlled or on tablets, this doesn't affect your driving licence or insurance premium.
If you are overweight, lose some lard, and it might just go away. If you need any more specific information, PM me.