I have an employee who sufferes from severe arthritis. An occupational health reports confirms this. He is unable to straighten his elbow and is in pain, helped by drugs. The job role is manual handling. This involves alot of lifting, sometimes heavy weights that can't be avoided. It involves patients on stretchers and this can't be avoided. I have been asked to undertake an indivdual manual handling risk assessment. Can anyone give me any help, support, or tips how to go about this? Thanks,

I am amazed that on a capability matter this poor individual is still being expected to undertake this role. As AK says below it has to feature the TILE approach to assessment. Is he covered by the DDA (or whatever it si called these days) as you will be required to make reasonable adjustments.

Blodwyn Definitely not DDA as this is DEAD, DEFUNCT, EXTINCT, EXPIRED to remember a parrot sketch. All is under EA 2010 and the definitions of a protected category very definitely cover such illnesses as this. I paraphrase the duty as: A person suffering an illness, physical or mental, that prevents normal functioning in life and which has lasted or is likely to last more than 12 months. It is thus not a simple task assessment that is required in the OPs case. Bob

Ron is correct its also a capability RA with a MHSW and MHO specific RA combined and all other aspects rolled together to obtain the outcome hence the comment 'combined effort' A problem we have is that in many many cases [in my experience] neither HR nor Occ Health are competent re risk assessment, job/person analysis and all the areas that go together to obtain a suitable & sufficient RA - outcome It sounds complicated but it can be easily done as all it needs is commitment

As an OH professional if I had a case like this I would be going to this employees point of work and observing what he is doing. If OH is from an outside company or a person who isn't familiar with the task then it would be useful (like someone has already mentioned) to have a task specific risk assessment e.g. detailing weight, reps etc. But ultimately we should be advising you on what this individual can or cannot do, and what reasonable adjustments are required.