Shared case record · perspective-neutral
Accepted work restriction, not carried into floor operations
A lifting restriction (max 7 kg) was issued, delivered to the employer, and acknowledged — but it was not carried into floor operations, and the associate was assigned tasks that exceeded it.
Occupational health (first implementation domain) · A regional distribution center. Manual palletizing and order picking. · A six-week window from the date of the restriction.
Enter this case from any perspective
Parties
Employee
Associate, Distribution Center B
Clinician
Occupational physician
Employer contact
Human Resources coordinator
Floor lead
Shift supervisor
Current status
Accepted restriction NOT carried into floor operations. Obligation open and overdue on the floor.
Timing / delay
Delay elapsed: from Day 4 (first non-compliant assignment) through Day 39 (incident). Exposure accrued across the window.
Immutable governance chain
IssuedRestriction issued — no lifting over 7 kg for 6 weeks.
Day 0, 10:42Occupational physician · evidence E1
DeliveredRestriction delivered to employer HR (transmission confirmed).
Day 0, 11:05Clinic fax system · evidence E2
AcknowledgedHR acknowledged receipt and stated intent to accommodate.
Day 0, 14:19HR coordinator · evidence E3
AcceptedAccommodation opened and accepted — obligation now owned by the employer.
Day 0, 14:26Employer accommodation register · evidence E4
DepartedAccepted restriction not carried into operations — assignment exceeds 7 kg, no modified-duty flag. Accountability begins here.
Day 4, 06:00Shift supervisor / scheduling · evidence E5, E6
HarmIncident reported — acute back pain during a ~22 kg lift.
Day 39, 15:52Shift supervisor · evidence E7
Obligations (1)
OBL-1
Carry the accepted 7 kg lifting restriction into floor operations for the remainder of the restriction period.
- Holder
- Shift supervisor / operations scheduling
- Accepted at
- Day 0, 14:26
- Deadline
- Each shift while the restriction is in force (6-week period).
- Baseline state
- accepted
Required evidence: Modified-duty flag on the assignment sheet and assignments within 7 kg, corroborated by the handheld scan log.
Escalation: Shift supervisor → operations manager → HR accommodation owner. Not a clinical escalation.
Accountability
Where it began: The earliest demonstrated departure is the Day 4 shift assignment (E5), corroborated by the handheld scan log (E6).
Responsible process: A non-clinical process: shift assignment / operations scheduling. The clinical instruction was correct and was accepted.
Clinical vs. accountable: Clinical judgment (the restriction) is distinct from accountable execution (carrying it onto the floor). The clinician did their part; execution did not follow.
Corroboration: The assignment sheet (E5) and the independent machine-generated scan log (E6) corroborate each other on the same fact.
As of the close of the 6-week window and its immediate follow-up.
Evidence (7)
E1 · Work-restriction note
verifiedDay 0, 10:42
Signed restriction: no lifting over 7 kg, 6 weeks, copy to employer HR.
E2 · Fax transmission confirmation
verifiedDay 0, 11:05
Fax confirmation — restriction transmitted to employer HR (delivered).
E3 · Email reply from HR
verifiedDay 0, 14:19
HR email acknowledging receipt and stating intent to accommodate.
E4 · Accommodation-log entry
verifiedDay 0, 14:26
Accommodation register row opened: max lift 7 kg, status active.
E5 · Shift task-assignment sheet
verifiedDay 4, 06:00 (recurring)
Shift assignment sheet — palletizing 20–25 kg, no modified-duty flag.
E6 · Handheld scan log
verifiedDay 4 through Day 39
Handheld scan log — items over 7 kg lifted across Days 4–39 (machine log).
E7 · Incident report
verifiedDay 39, 15:52
Incident report — acute back pain during a ~22 kg lift; removed from duty.
The dollar result
Demonstrable avoidable cost
$30,000 − $3,500 − $9,000 = $17,500
1. Necessary supported cost
$3,500What correct execution (the accepted modified-duty accommodation) would have cost.
2. Cost already incurred
$30,000What the employer plan and payroll actually paid for this episode.
3. Current avoidable exposure
$17,500The avoidable portion of the incurred cost — exposure created by the departure, before recovery.
4. Demonstrable avoidable cost
$17,500Employer-paid − supported alternative − excluded uncertainty. The defensible figure.
5. Excluded uncertainty
$9,000Causation the record does not establish — deliberately NOT claimed.
6. Realized savings
Not yet realizedNo savings are claimed as realized on this illustrative episode. Realized savings are shown only where recovery is evidenced.
7. Remaining dollars at risk
$17,500The demonstrable avoidable cost not yet recovered, and the pattern that recurs while the corrective obligation stays open.