Boss employing disabled person.

[Flowersonethewall]

I can't even believe i am writing this but her goes.

It has come to my bosses attention that he may get grants for employing a disabled worker. Fair enough.
The person she has picked though is completely wrong for the job.
We do a lot of heavy lifting and manual work. We also cut glass, wood etc..
The gentleman she has employed cannot do this jobs due to his disability. Their is literally nothing the poor man can do.
He can't be left alone either because its a dangerous place and he likes to touch things!
How the hell do i approach my boss without sounding like i'm discriminating which i'm not. I'm just concerned for his safety and my own.

[sashh]

Poopoo i only supervise his, nobody else. I have no clue what i'm doing.

Would have been a much better title.

This gentleman needs to have an access to work carried out by the jobcentre who will then say what needs to be in place for him to do his job.

Go to your boss, say you have not seen this so you are going to arrange it, then phone the job centre and ask for their disability officer.

[ParsingFancy]

Does this bloke even have a job?

Did the business have a vacancy, with specific duties, which he has filled?

Or is he just supernumerary and wandering around occasionally being told to do things - that he can't really do?

If it is a Work Programme type thing, he will actually be on benefits not a wage from OP's boss. It's very murky.

[missymayhemsmum]

Yanbu, you're being safety conscious and trying to get the work done. You've been put in a rubbish situation. If you're being asked to supervise this new chap then it would be responsible of you to meet his support worker and understand on what basis he is employed/ what has been promised/ what his limitations are. Have you had a talk with your new colleague about his abilities as well as his disabilities? I work in an organisation where quite a few colleagues come in to do volunteering/ work experience, and it's a matter of finding the niche that suits what they can do which needs doing and doesn't stop anyone else getting on with their job. Then, once you've found one task they can do and feel confident on you can train them on the next. So maybe this chap starts with sweeping the floor, while keeping out of the way of anything dangerous, then perhaps learns to stack wood, work the photocopier in the office, stuff envelopes or whatever, make tea and progresses to learning the till in a few weeks?
Could you ask for your boss's support as you are worried about health and safety and want to be a good supervisor, and as you're new to a supervisory role?

[Thatisall]

This isn't fair on the new employee or you. I'm all for inclusion but it sounds as though this mans challenges are being used by your employer and his needs and general abilities dismissed. That isn't inclusion, it's negligence. Have a word with his support. Hopefully they will be level headed enough to realise that you can question this decision without being discriminatory. As his supervisor you should have training on how to supervise this man ie. what his additional needs/abilities are, you know in order to do your job probably. This his a tricky situation OP

[Darkesteyes]

Seems that Parsing has come up with the most likely scenario. Sounds like workfare to me too.

[Darkesteyes]

And what of Employers Liability Insurance if this is workfare.

[Thatisall]

This isn't fair on the new employee or you. I'm all for inclusion but it sounds as though this mans challenges are being used by your employer and his needs and general abilities dismissed. That isn't inclusion, it's negligence. Have a word with his support. Hopefully they will be level headed enough to realise that you can question this decision without being discriminatory. As his supervisor you should have training on how to supervise this man ie. what his additional needs/abilities are, you know in order to do your job probably. This his a tricky situation OP

[Thatisall]

So good I posted twice eh? Sorry

[pobblebop]

Report your boss to the HSE . It sounds like their actions have put you and your colleagues at risk.

[WestmorlandSausage]

safeguarding adults would only investigate if there was abuse or neglect of a vulnerable person DelightedIAm I think this would just be considered poor employment/ health and safety practice and not deliberate abuse of a disabled person.

[JustGettingOnWithIt]

If this is the Mandatory Work Activity programme for disabled people, and he gets kicked out for inappropriately touching things, rather than they’ve messed up in taking him on without sorting proper supervision, then he’s on JSA, or ESA, not paid by your work.
According to the workshop I'm currently doing, he will at risk of being deemed to have lost his place through ‘misconduct’, in which case he will be sanctioned for 13 weeks loss of benefits, while having to continue to sign on and look for work. (If the same thing happens elsewhere within the next 12 months it's 26 weeks sanction)

So it would be a kindness to focus on his inability to follow instruction, rather than he doesn’t do as told, iyswim.

[Nataleejah]

I think in this case an employer knows better.
In my workplace there is a guy with learning difficulties. He can do the job well enough, but as a part of a team he's quite a nuisance -- rude, agressive and really sick sense of humour. He has had several warning already, so only time will show...