Risk assessment

[KimSawyer]

Hi everyone , good morning. I am working , hanging on, but have had a few incidents in work lately and have tried numerous times to explain over and over what fibromyalgia is and how it affects people, my manager and the HR officer keep mentioning a risk assessment but haven’t actually done one. I’ve now printed my own off and filled it in, before I take this in and insist on them doing a risk assessment , would it actually be beneficial for me to have a risk assessment?

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee]

What is their purpose for the risk assessment? What's yours?

[Buzzybee23 in reply to desquinn]

Morning, I tend to be an observer and rarely post.

All employers should carry out a risk assessment (RA) based on the type of work you do then assess the risk of you harming yourself against each task. This will relate to your fibro and be specific for you.

Your employer will already have RA for all tasks and depending on the size of the company generic RAs for pregnant women and young people.

These RA are a legal requirement.

The person carrying out the RA should be competent and had suitable and sufficient training.

It is not your place to assess yourself this is your employers responsibility. Ideally a meeting should take place, you, HR and the competent person should discuss your issues, score each task ie low, medium or high risk. They must then do what is reasonably practicable to reduce the risk of you harming yourself by changing the way you work ie a new desk chair specific for your needs.

RAs are a meaty subject. Do you have a union rep, I strongly advise you have a chat with him/her.

Does this help

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to Buzzybee23]

It will depend on the size of the company. Micros will have no requirement to write down RAs for example. As the business grows in accumulates more responsibility in this area. If it is standard office work with healthy people then the RA will be on the environment rather than the people. It's a complex area but agree that the RA should be by the employer and your comments on it should be valued.

HR Officer suggests larger company as does the mention of RA but wonder about whether you have been seen by occupational health? That would be worthwhile.

[KimSawyer in reply to desquinn]

Desquinn, I’m not sure why they keep mentioning it to be honest but they never see it through . I was wondering if perhaps it would be a safeguarding thing for me to have my fibromyalgia actually logged on my files , who knows what the future holds and as it stands at the moment, it’s only my word against theirs that I’ve informed them if this (many times )

[Dinkie]

umm - I smell a rat! Years ago when I was granted a blue badge the woman in the office at work spotted it and demanded it to photocopy so she could report me to the health and safety officer at work as I was an insurance and a health and safety risk. Health and safety and risk assessments relate to everyone in the workplace not just people who may or may not have issues. I reported this to the Doctor doing my occupational health assessment and he was absolutely horrified and said so in his report.

Is everybody having to do a risk assessment? Have you had an occupational health assessment? If you haven't had an occupational health assessment why, if they believe you are a risk, haven't you had one.

[KimSawyer]

Thank you everyone , i work for Dunelm in quite a active role , and generally manage reasonably well although I do, as you will all know, have days that I really struggle . We have a new manager that has no empathy , in fact told me “when I watch you, you’re don’t look like you’re struggling” . I was just wondering why A, knowing my problems they haven’t carried out a risk assessment and B, would it be beneficial for me for this to be on my files? There has been a number of times they’ve said , almost in a threatening way, we need to do a risk assessment and I’ve always been up for one , just confused as to why they haven’t actually done it . I am in a union , I might give them a ring .

[desquinn Partner Volunteer FMAUK Trustee in reply to KimSawyer]

Is it definitely a risk assessment they are talking about or is it maybe an occupational health assessment? An OH assessment would make more sense to me although there can be overlap.

[KimSawyer in reply to desquinn]

Every time i mention fibromyalgia, they give me a blank look and murmur “we will have to do a risk assessment” like it’s some sort of threat , and then totally forget they’ve said it

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to KimSawyer]

Hi, I carry out risk assessments at work all the time.Your employer has a duty of care to you and should always be willing to support you. If they aren’t then they are not doing their job correctly. It is for your safety and benefit but also to protect others. Hope this helps 💕

[Cotswolds25121 in reply to KimSawyer]

Also if they don’t have a good understanding of fm then it is their responsibility to make sure they do understand before doing any risk assessments. If they don’t know what it entails then how on earth are they going to be able to do a r/a on it 🤔

[KimSawyer in reply to Cotswolds25121]

Thanks for that , I’ve taken in print outs, leaflets and tried to explain fibro so many times , it falls on deaf ears , I’m determined now though that they will listen. I’m printing all these answers off in the morning , ringing my union and taking it from there. I really appreciate everybodies help

[Dinkie in reply to KimSawyer]

sounds like my boss who thinks fibro is just being a bit stiff getting out of the car!

[Suehad]

When I was diagnosed they gave me a booklet for work so they could better understand my condition. Your employers have a duty of care to make your work place as good as possible for you.

[Alb2]

Risk assessments are usually managed by an occupational health assessment guiding HR. If you haven’t had this input, your employers are failing in duty of care. As someone else suggests, if you have a union rep, they should be involved so it is important to contact them for advice. Good luck. I have found my own risk assessment to be of huge benefit as it allows some protection for me. My risk assessment was written by my occupational health doctor so the employers can’t quibble with that. The risk assessment is there to protect the employee in theory.

[Hidden]

Morning. I would definitely have a chat with your union. As a responsible employer they should do an Occupational Health assessment to see what adjustments (if any) you need in the workplace. They need to adhere to the Equality Act. equalityhumanrights.com/en/...

[Flosmyboss]

I have my fibro logged at work because if I'm off because of it it all counts as one sickness. To be fair I've been off for 3 hrs in the last 3 yes but yup it helps to know they are behind me

[KimSawyer]

Hi again all, I’ve rung my union, absolutely fantastic advice, you were all right. She’s drafted an letter for me to give to him or HR, and strongly advised I go ahead and request a risk assessment, I shouldn’t have to, it’s a legal obligation that they should have done themselves anyway . She was most helpful and has assured me they will behind me all the way so I feel more confident now of my rights and the way forward