33 Examples of Light Duty (Transitional) Jobs

August 2, 2017 1 Comment

Examples of Light Duty (Transitional) Jobs

Getting an injured worker back to work as soon as possible after an on-the-job injury is an important way to control the cost of a workers compensation claim.   Offering light duty (transitional) jobs to an employee who is released to return to work with medical restrictions can reduce the impact of that claim on future insurance premiums by 70%!   

The first step in a successful return to work (RTW) program needs to take place before the injury occurs – establish a relationship with a medical provider.  Your medical provider needs to know that your company will accommodate “any” light duty that might be assigned to an injured worker – including seated work, one-handed work, and lifting restrictions.  Now, when an injury accident occurs, your medical provider will be more inclined to assign light duty restrictions to the injured employee rather than lost time.   For a booklet on how to solve RTW problems, click here.

Bringing an injured employee back to light duty not only reduces workers compensation costs, but it also speeds up recovery, and improves worker moral.  Larger companies have long recognized these benefits and use light duty whenever they can.

Smaller companies often resist returning injured employees to light duty because they do not see the economic benefits of doing so, and they claim that light duty jobs are not available. 

Every company has light duty jobs.  When assigning an injured employee to a light duty job make sure that the job meets the doctors’ restrictions.  Below is a list of 33 light duty tasks that injured workers are often assigned to:  

• • Security guard 
  • Paint aisle markings
  • Inventory parts, supplies, and/or tools 
  • Pick up trash in yard and lot
  • Inspect fire extinguishers & eye washes
  • Replenish first aid cabinets
  • Perform assembly
  • Complete a safety inspection
  • Drive a fork truck
  • Sort & deliver mail
  • Work in tool room
  • Make telephone calls / answer telephones
  • Order supplies
  • Shipping (labeling & wrapping)
  • Train new employees
  • Drive a vehicle, run errands
  • Do light housekeeping and dusting
  • Perform quality control inspections
  • Answer telephones
  • File paperwork
  • Shred documents
  • Complete safety training
  • Update MSDS manuals
  • Sweeping 
  • Wash company vehicles
  • Mow lawns with riding lawn mower
  • Update safety bulletin board
  • Clean tools
  • Apply ice melter during winter months
  • Inspect flooring for need for maintenance or cleaning
  • Create or re-write evacuation maps
  • Work normal job but slower
  • Work normal job but with specific limitations

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