Rank: Guest 
|
Posted By Steve300767
A colleague who is a ‘general labourer’ with an aerospace repair facility has a history of back problems, most recently 3 month off sick having twisted awkwardly while lifting a 20 litre drum of fluid.
He is due to return to work at the end of the month but his Dr has given him a 5kg lift limit – which makes him wholly unsuitable for the duties he will be expected to carry out.
Unfortunately he’s a ‘get the job done’ type & if put back into his current roll will eventually do himself another injury.
While keeping in mind that personal H&S is as much the employee’s responsibility as it is the employers, what can I quote to: -
1/ ‘persuade’ management to offer him retraining / relocation.
2/ prevent him being put back into a role he’s no longer capable of fulfilling.
3/ avoid the scenario where he has another injury & management quote him as having exceeded him Dr’s. recommendations & is therefore liable?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Raymond Rapp
Steve
Always a difficult one especially when the person is a 'get the job done' type person. I suggest you need to save him from himself and insist that he does light duties for a period, perhaps some supervisory duties. Make him believe that the work is necessary and useful.
Also you need to discuss with the person face to face and explain it is in the interests of both the company and the individual. Then ensure his line manager fully understands the situation.
Ray
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By D H
Steve - management can only do so much to keep someone safe. The employee also has a legal requirement to comply with instructions as well as to not hurt himself.
If he really is as you say "Unfortunately he’s a ‘get the job done’ type & if put back into his current roll will eventually do himself another injury"
If I was his line manager then I would not trust him to work safely if I was not around watching him. He is also setting a bad example to others and in my mind should be removed from the equation so to speak.
Might sound brutal, but in his as well as the company interest.
Dave
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Kieran J Duignan
Steve
May I suggest that you consider the scientific basis on which you base your statement 'Unfortunately he’s a ‘get the job done’ type & if put back into his current roll will eventually do himself another injury.'
Unless you have very substantial psychometric data to support this unqualified statement, you would be easily exposed as failing to use available scientific information to design appropriate safeguards in your assessment and recommendations to management.
I suggest that you arrange for appropiate assessment of the employee's psychological 'type' using relevant psychometric instruments along with coaching by a safety psychologist, to the employee, to his line manager and to yourself about designing and implementing relevant safeguards.
In short, apply relevant science. Aalternatives may appear simpler but face you with the choice of risking to fulfil your statutory responsibility to safeguard the employee in accordance with the Manual Handling Operations Regulations 1992, as amended 2004, and to advise management as a competent person as prescribed by the Health and Safety At Work Regulations 1999.
Maybe it would be nice if it were simpler...but bear in mind how court hearings
are turned on the basis of relevant scientific evidence rather than customs, practices and emotions.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.