How They Did It

Auto Repair Shop:
Head Technician

But a couple of months ago, Tommy, who has been legally blind in one eye for years, suffered a damaged vein that reduced the vision in his good eye to legal blindness. He couldn't even drive to work, let alone handle inventory and paperwork. At first Tommy offered to quit, but his boss, reluctant to lose him, persuaded him to stay on and they decided to explore accommodation possibilities.

BACKGROUND: Tommy has worked at the garage for more than 15 years, having started out as repair technician. He moved onto doing insurance estimates and it was in that position that he pretty much invented the inventory job. He developed a rapport with the salesmen, organized the repair bay that became the inventory room, and set up a paper-based inventory system that he soon turned into a computer database. It's a workplace in which there's clearly a mutual respect and commonality of interest: his boss relies heavily on Tommy's judgment and organizational abilities--and Tommy knows finding another job at his age would be very difficult.

SOLUTION: With a referral in hand from his eye doctor, Tommy scheduled an appointment with the local Commission for the Blind and Visually Handicapped (CBVH) office. Instructor Dave Cantos, who specializes in worksite adaptations for visually impaired employees, visited Malley and O'Rourke's. Dave had Tommy walk through his job, taking notes of the kind of tasks he did. He also did a mobility evaluation, to determine that Tommy retained enough vision to safely move around the busy shop.

As a result of the CBVH report, Tommy got a pair of $20 sunglasses that fit over his regular glasses: they help control glare caused by the sun shining in the big glass windows in the break room and lobby. To illuminate the dim hallway that connected two parts of the garage, his boss agreed to keep the light on at all times and Tommy feels more secure about being able to see people as they approach him.

At his desk, an extra lamp ($35) was installed and he moves the flexible arm to position light just where he needs it. He labeled his paper trays in large print with a fat black marker ($3) and uses the same marker to write repair order numbers on the parts boxes as they come in. His doctor prescribed a lighted stand magnifier ($20-$60) and with it, he can read inventory part numbers.

The CBVH office provided a closed-circuit TV ($1,500) that he uses to check bills and inventory orders, and his boss purchased a software program to enlarge the text on his computer screen (about $400, though more sophisticated screen magnifiers may range up to $800). Coworkers also try to be careful about placing boxes on the floor; there's always a clear path from his desk to the inventory bay. The only other accommodation involved a shift change: Tommy traded his once-a-week night-time shift for a Saturday day-time slot so his wife could continue to drive him to and from work.

Tommy, always his own hardest judge, is satisfied he's doing the same quality of work he did before the vision loss. And his boss is relieved he didn't have to try and find--and train--someone to do the exacting insurance work their shop depends on.