Case Study
Work design for a beautician

The company is a dermatological and cosmetic centre. The owner intends to rehire an employee with a severe disability after selecting from 20 applications.

The woman is of short stature. Her reach and her ability to walk longer distances as well as to climb on objects is limited. The GdB (degree of disability) is 100.

The woman is a trained cosmetician and applied to the company. After the application process, she was permanently employed as a beautician.

The beautician is responsible for foot care, nail design and cosmetic treatments in the company. She works in a booth with a treatment table for the cosmetic treatments and in another booth with a chair for the customers for foot care. Each beautician has her permanently assigned cabins for the treatment and care of the clientele. Working with the treatment couch as well as the pedicure chair can be made possible due to the limited gripping space and the strain caused by the frequent walking to the equipment and materials can be made possible by the use of special assistive products that compensate for the physical limitations and reduce the workload. To make the workplaces in their cubicles suitable for disabled people, a treatment couch and a foot care chair were therefore purchased that are height-adjustable by electric motor. The height is not adjusted via a foot switch, as is usually the case, but via a hand switch on the lounger and the pedicure chair that is easy for the beautician to reach. In the cabin for cosmetic treatment, a foot bench was also installed as a fixed pedestal next to the lounger so that the beautician can walk along the lounger at the appropriate height for treatment. In combination with a newly purchased mobile table trolley for the equipment and materials, which is located directly next to the lounger, the beautician can carry out all treatments without any major strain. In addition, a work chair with a foot ring is available to her in both booths, since, depending on the activity, she also works in a seated posture. The foot ring on the work chair makes it possible to support the feet while sitting and it also helps when sitting down and standing up.

The design of the newly created workplace was supported by the Integration and Inclusion Office. Advice was provided by the Technical Advisory Service of the Integration and Inclusion Office. As part of the new employment, the company received an integration subsidy as a wage cost subsidy from the employment agency.