Posted By Jonathan Compton
Hi All,

Long tine no see. I need some help with a manual handling issues. One of our caretakers has a frozen shoulder and has been advised by occ health to carry out only light duties.

The question is, in his condition, what counts as light duties? My first thought is anything under 5 kilos and no long-term repetitive work, e.g. sweeping/mopping.

Does anybody have experience of this that could help point me in the right direction?

Regards,
Jon

Posted By Warren Fothergill
Perhaps need to look a little further at the issues surrounding the role - does his job require him to undertake manual handling? Or is it a result of DSE use - an MSD? What does the original RA stipulate about loads etc. - it now needs amending.

Light duties to me would be answering phone or jotting down an odd message, not lifting etc.

Regards

Waz

Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Jon

In response to your question, my relevant experience is as a safety ergonomist who has carried out risk assessments in consulting and expert witness roles.

The direction I'd encourage you to take is

1. Get and very carefully document a thorough assessment of any task-based risks to which you assign the injured employee and make sure they are well within her capability.

2. Ask her to complete a surveillance form in writing every month for the next 18 months, so you have documentary evidence of her condition and of action you take to manage the risks in so far as reasonably practicable.

3. Alternatively, make a clear-headed decision about how much time and money your employer is prepared to invest in the event that the injured employee claims personal injury damages on a 'no win, no pay' basis: a MSD claim for which I served as an expert witness ended up last winter with the employer paying a six-figure sum in damages plus legal costs plus approximately a total of about 30 days time of OSH + HR staff who should have carried out their job competently many, many years earlier and repeatedly failed to do so.