Some of my colleagues have had risk assessments done for colleagues to read detailing what they can and can't manage due to health issues. There are 2 for pregnant women, one for OA, one for a hernia operation and one for an injured shoulder. I asked my boss why I didn't have one and she said I didn't need one. I reminded her that I am restricted in what I can do and she said that because my sickness absence was fine I didn't need one. I'm pretty miffed. I would have thought that she needed to do one as part of her duty of care towards me and also to cover her own back in case I am injured as a result of my RA combined with work. I am fed up because I don't think she takes RA seriously.

Hi Naomi

I got a Workstation Assessment done when I was diagnosed as I went straight to my Health and Safety Section as I have had to fight for things in the past as my Boss was totally unsupportive. I got a referral to an Occ Health Doc who was superb and wrote back saying that my workstation assessment had flagged up getting a new chair with an adjustable back and that it had to be purchased straight away. It is awful we have to fight for little things that make our lives easier at work. I also got good advice from the Occ Therapist at my hospital regarding taking micro breaks she gave me wrist supports and exercises too.

Please let us know how you get on.

Take care.

Lisa x

Naomi

The point of a Risk Assessment is to look at the risks and to prevent something happening. To say that your sick record is fine is absolutely ludicrous. Your Manager needs to learn what a Risk Assessment is. You put things in place before hand so that you do not have to put right what has gone wrong. If you use a computer at work then your company has to comply to the Health and Safety Display Screen Equipment Regulations 1992 and they cannot do this without risk assessing ALL their staff who use computers.

Whatever your job, your company should assess how you sit, work and move around and how it may impact on your health. I have risk assessed all my office and factory staff irrespective of their health. It is surprising how many bad backs, necks and wrists we have helped by carrying out a simple assessment and then providing them with the equipment they need.

The biggest problem we have at the moment is people complaining about bad backs when sitting. We have provided them with a simple mesh support to go over the back of their chairs and they are nearly all pain free as it forces them to sit correctly. It did not cost us very much and now we have happy employees.

I would explain to your Manager that she has a responsibility to protect you from something which may cause damage in the long run and impact on your health and then cause you to take time off work. You have the right to ask for a Risk Assessment if you think what you are doing may impact on your health.

Good luck and let us know how you got on.

Jackie
xx

Well done for sticking to your guns. At least the OH's assessment will be impartial so any adjustments (and related costs) should not be so much of a fight.