Case Study
Workplace design for employees at a cemetery

This is the technical operations of a city whose tasks include the care and maintenance of green spaces as well as forest areas and waste disposal. The green spaces include parks and cemeteries, with the eight cemeteries alone covering an area of 58 hectares.

1. Employee
The man has a back condition, shoulder-arm syndrome, high blood pressure and limited lung function. He should therefore not carry out any heavy physical activities. In particular, he should avoid bending down and lifting or carrying heavy loads. The degree of disability (GdB) is 50.

2. Employee
The man also has a back condition. He should also avoid forced postures (frequent bending and stooping) and lifting and carrying heavy loads. The degree of disability is (GdB) 40.

3. Employee
The man has a chronic gastric mucosal disease and epilepsy. He should not be exposed to heavy physical strain in the long term. The degree of disability (GdB) is 70.

4. Employee
The man has chronic bronchitis and a back condition. The degree of disability (GdB) is 50.

A sliding formwork box is used so that the employees do not have to carry and hold heavy planks and spindles during excavation work. This is set up on the trench before work begins and slides into the trench as the excavation work progresses. This eliminates the heavy handling of the planks and metal spindles.
Two special, lower transport cars were purchased for transporting and storing the floor and mobile plates and the grave gratings. The equipment can be transported to any location on these and loaded and unloaded with little effort. In addition, the metal sheets and grates can remain on the transport car and do not have to be constantly loaded and unloaded.
A motorized tipper with a hydraulically assisted tipping device had to be purchased to transport the excess excavated earth and all the building materials required in the burial ground. In addition, a transport vehicle had to be equipped with a loading crane to make it easier for employees with disabilities to lift the heavy stone slabs or gravestones onto or off the loading area. For the removal of returned gravesites, especially for the removal of old gravestones, a stone transport vehicle is used to make the work easier. This enables the stones to be removed or transported with little effort.

The workplace design suitable for disabled people was funded by the Integration and Inclusion Office. This also took into account the fact that the employment rate for people with severe disabilities is seven percent, which is higher than the statutory requirement. The company therefore received funding amounting to 75 percent of the costs. Advice was provided by the Technical Advisory Service of the Integration and Inclusion Office.