Case Study
Workplace design in waste disposal

Company:

The company is a recycling business.

Disability and impairment of the employee:

The man is of short stature. His gripping and foot space and his ability to lift and carry loads manually are restricted. The degree of disability (GdB) is 50.

Job:

The man works as a waste disposal worker for packaging materials and waste at the company.

Workplace and work task:

Due to his disability, the employee had considerable problems carrying out the activities he was required to perform. It was still possible and reasonable to pick up the waste residues in the operating areas with the available work aids such as pallet trucks and pallet cages. However, there were problems loading the waste into the large containers with compactors outside. He also had difficulties stacking and sorting out damaged pallets for interim storage and using the order picking forklift.
To adapt the working conditions suitable for disabled people and eliminate the problems, the large containers with compactors were lowered sufficiently to make it easy for the employee to fill them. For this purpose, lifting and lowering systems were installed in excavated recesses for the containers. A stacking device is now used as a solution for stacking in the intermediate storage area. The order picking truck was adapted by lowering the seat and moving the controls into the restricted reach and foot space. The employee can now carry out the work independently and without major physical strain.

Assistive products used:

power-driven industrial vehicles for lifting and transporting material (order pickers)
Lifting and positioning systems (pallet stackers)

Promotion and participation:

The Inclusion Office provided 100% funding for the conversion of the order picking truck. The remaining adaptations and technical equipment are also used by the other employees. These technical facilities therefore also improve the working conditions for other employees without a severe disability - which is actually one of the company's tasks. The Inclusion Office therefore only partially funded these technical facilities. Advice was provided by the Inclusion Office's Technical Advisory Service.

ICF Items

Reference Number:

R/PB4147


Last Update: 31 Jul 2025