Without in-depth knowledge of the activities that they undertake it is difficult to provide detailed advice. However could they be transferred to an admin role or can the role be adapted to reduce any risk. I would personally start with a risk assessment to identify ways he could be injured and identify ways to manage these.

Another question is why do you think they are more at risk because of the hernia?

Hi Nick

Probably time to get a medical opinion to give an idea of what elevated risk would result from this person's hernia catching on something.

P

I had a similar thing with a chap who was working in the woodwork studios in a previous organisation. He was a technician and we completed a risk assessment that put him into an admin role for that team. He was still able to help students with advisory stuff and mark work etc. but he just couldn't do the physical work anymore. It was a long process but once we got him through some OH assessments and some physio appointments we pinned down what was needed put him up in a separate office space to accommodate a larger desk a kitted out chair with all the right support and a proper weight bearing stem for his size (former weight lifting champ) we were lucky to have the space in the workshop to accommodate him being able to access this previously disused office without having to go too far from his car and it was ground floor too which as we all know solves a multitude of complexities. 

The main point is we talked to him all the way through to make sure he was happy with everything and this solved a lot of the questions coming in form HR too. Remebering to get the person involved is the first and most imporatnt part of resolving anything like this.