Digital Tools Applications to Occupational Health and Safety for People with Autism

Increasingly, people with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) participate in mainstream employment like typical others, with varied outcomes influenced primarily by the workplace supports they receive. Autism spectrum disorder is characterized by three distinct features: persistent impairments in verbal and/or nonverbal communication, difficulties in forming and maintaining social interactions, and restricted, repetitive behaviors and interests. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is categorized based on the severity level and need for supports: Level 3 (requiring very substantial support), Level 2 (requiring substantial support), and Level 1 (requiring support). These support needs bear on the technologies that they would require for successful work participation. This chapter makes the case that to the extent that people with ASD receive appropriate work participation tools, they would flourish in their work roles, which will be to the mutual benefit of their employer organization. In the fourth industrial age, the tools would be predominantly digital and for greater job content or process accessibility. Job content is about the essential functions of a job. Job processes are the activities involved in implementing a work task. Moreover, the chapter considers occupational health and safety for those with ASD supported by digital technology tools in the context of inclusive human resource management policies and practices. Digital technologies increasingly are utilized for addressing occupational health and safety vulnerabilities from job content or process factors, adding to the wellness of employer organizations. The chapter also indicates present research needs on the work wellness effects of digital technology for use by people with ASD in diverse employment settings that present. This chapter contributes insights on digital technologies for work wellness in people with autism spectrum disorder.