Roberts Your right this is a tough one - the RSI has to be caused through a work activity in fact we should really call it WRULD (work related upper limb disorder) these days. If the doctor has made no assessment of the cause then how do you know its not caused at home, tennis elbow etc are all forms of RSI. What work tasks does this person undertake? If using VDU have you got a full assessment and have you reviewed this and the equipment. For none vdu repetitive work have you reviewed the activities using the HSE ART tool. You might want to consider seeking the advice from an ergonomic or occupational health specialist about the injury and the work activities to see if there could be a link which make a RIDDOR report more likely.

From Brians' and Walker comments I'd suggest gaining your employees permision to approach their GP for further info then you should be able to make a better informed judgement whether the 'injury' is true WRULDS or just a minor agrevation. Also check out if there are any home based activities just incase the 'injury' is non work related. But in the end adjustments would still have to be made to allow recovery. Badger

RobertsXXXXX If you are the 'competent' person advising your employer about the health and safety of the employee who has presented the doctor's certificate, there is an enormous volume of valid research you can draw on to decide how to proceed. Should you need a specialist opinion and fail to at least try to get one, you may find yourself responsible for a lengthy expensive problem. On the basis of the information you present, there's no way of knowing the source of the problem, its severity or the basis of the doctor's opinion. However, should the problem escalate and eventually result in legal proceedings, your response at this stage can prove either as effective as possible or the start of a slippery slope. A safety ergonomist - e.g. a CMIOSH who's also a qualified ergonomist - can normally provide an initial written assessment of the extent to which the presenting symptoms are work-related, and if they are, what adaptations if any you need to make, He/she should also be able to indicate the kinds of specialist medical or para-medical remedy the employee needs at this juncture. His/her written opinion could be used as the legal safeguards your employer would need if they have to defend their actions in a claim for damages for personal injury (or in the unlikely event that you neglect or totally mishandle the situation for constructive dismissal).

RSI? Does anyone else remember Judge John Prosser?

Just to clarify, I'm not of the 'never had RSI in the Punjab!' school. Just suggesting what's reasonable under these circumstances (i.e. vagueness/incompetence on the part of the individual's GP). Just because someone hints at a [possibly work-related] problem I don't think we need to start throwing experts at it from the word go.