title: Injured workers' perspectives on how workplace accommodations are conceptualized and delivered following electrical injuries.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Returning to work following an electrical injury can be challenging due to the confluence of physical, cognitive and emotional impairments. Workplace accommodations can facilitate return to work. However, while electrical injuries can have potentially devastating consequences, there is a dearth of understanding of how workplace accommodations are obtained following electrical injury. This paper explores workers' experiences of returning to work and accommodations following an occupation electrical injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirteen semi-structured qualitative telephone interviews were conducted with injured workers recruited from acute and rehabilitation burns programs in Ontario, Canada. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes related to the request and provision of accommodations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Findings reveal that accommodations are most frequently narrowly defined in relation to physical work restrictions, leading to the exclusion of cognitive and psychosocial concerns. Challenges within the accommodations process such as perceived legitimacy, a do-it-yourself approach to accommodations, and concerns regarding job security can also influence workers' decisions to request accommodations. Process elements that facilitate the effective provision of workplace accommodations include: (1) finding a "just right" fit between workers' abilities and assigned tasks and duties (2) establishing effective lines of communication between relevant stakeholders; (3) prompt response to needs; (4) having a knowledgeable individual in a position of power to advocate on workers' behalf.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further education regarding electrical injuries and workplace accommodations is warranted to increase workers', employers', health and insurance personnels' knowledge about electrical injury and best practices for providing workplace accommodations.
authors.affiliation: Toronto Rehabilitation Institute, University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada, mary.kita@utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Mary
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stergiou-Kita
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mansfield
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colantonio
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D004556:Electric Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004651:Employment / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000523:psychology; D006804:Ergonomics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020380:Needs Assessment; D060051:Occupational Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D011482:Protective Devices; D036301:Qualitative Research; D062707:Return to Work / Q000523:psychology*; D013997:Time Factors; D014937:Work / Q000523:psychology*; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration; D055815:Young Adult
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