Why would you want to?

I cannot aid with the health side of it, but as suggested perhaps get OH to do their bit, and you can just mention in your RA that the operative has a heart murmur. As we dont know how bad it is, if there is medication to regulate.

Hi,

Thanks for all of your replies.

The reason I need to assess the person is because they will be carrying out railway engineering training.

We do not have an OH department, it's all down to me.

The person in question is visiting their GP on Monday so as jwk advises, I will be speaking with them to gather more information.

Thanks again.

Clive765- Just research the work and lifestyle limitations having a heart murmur can present. Armed with this information meet with the person and their manager and see how the work they are required to do is affected and mitigate! Use their GP info as a starting point, with persons permission of course.
I am just this minute preparing to do a RA for a person with an implantable cadioverter defibrillator! I cant see any hazard or how they might be affected yet but I will conduct this anyway. That way I can reassure myself and others that all is ok and see if I can support the person in any way to make their working life a little easier.
Kevin

Stonecold,
I am not sure you need to be medically qualified to conduct a risk assessment into how someones health is affected by work. Is that not what we do everyday? The fact that the issue is a heart murmur does not change our role or the advice we are likely to give as safety professionals. We are not proferring medical advice regarding treatments, medications, exercise etc, but rather looking at how the work they have to complete will affect their health which is compromised by a heart condition.
Kevin

General health is one thing, a significant underlying health condition e.g heart condition is another. Sholud things go wrong, you could potentially find yourself in court. In such a situation are you confident you could convince a solicitor that you were competent to carry out a sutibale and sufficent risk assessment in regard to a significant health condition? Again I would advise using occupational health for such matters.

Mmm, I think it might be worth a few quid to get an OH person in for an opinion. Heart murmurs can be something or nothing, that's the problem, and I'm not sure how a layperson would know which sort they were dealing with. As Jay says, the GP might help, for a fee. Either way it would be worth spending the money I think,

John

I would be consulting HR on this one as you don't have OH. Have you considered obtaining a letter from the employees doctor? Yes you will have to pay for it but then you can put any specific questions to that doctor about the employee ensuring that the employee is fit for the role they are undertaking.

I wouldn't be risk assessing this just yet, after all, what would your controls be (employee must carry own defibrillator?). Perhaps consider putting something into your provision of first aid risk assessment for a pre-existing condition.

You have said you will be speaking to the employee on their return from their GP but bear in mind they may play the condition down in fear of losing their job, hence why asking the GP the questions is more likely to get a better answer.

I hope that helps, but if you need more from me please PM me.