We often let staff return to work (benefit's both parties usually) when they produce a fit note that will state amended duties and often advises no heavy lifting. Usually we will document this in a basic risk assessment stating review dates and an outline of what they can and cannot do. We have now received a claim for a back injury to a supervisor who had returned on light duties, previously off with another back problem, working with another member of staff, he "manoeuvred", his and the claim companies words, something and injured himself again, our insurers are suggesting we settle because we weren't specific enough in our instructions on what he could and couldn't do. We have gone back to them and asked where does this leave us in the future regarding light duties for staff and how specific are other companies when allowing staff back to work with a fit note that advises light duties, in my experience the note is usually very vague in what they can & cannot do.

Chris Our insurers are visiting us in Jan anyway so hopefully we will get some positive feed back from them, its certainly making us think twice about fit notes and light duties in the future as in our eyes its practically impossible to list everything they can and cannot do. Larryl