A job title rarely captures how the shoulders are used during a workday. Two employees with the same title may work at different heights, move different loads, use different tools, or divide tasks differently. A task-level demand record helps compare the actual job with medical restrictions and any proposed modified duty without turning the comparison into a medical conclusion.

A shoulder-demand record should describe the actual job task, reach direction and height, load or force, repetition, duration, posture, tools, two-handed requirements, and source instead of relying on a job title or a general label such as “light duty.”

Break the job into observable tasks

  • Task name, purpose, workstation or location, product or material, tool or control, and sequence within the shift
  • Normal frequency, repetitions per cycle, cycles per hour or shift when actually known, duration, and recovery interval
  • Whether the task is essential, occasional, shared, rotated, optional, emergency-only, or performed only in a particular season or assignment
  • Written job description, training material, video, photograph, supervisor statement, coworker statement, employee account, and direct measurement kept as separate sources

Describe reach and arm position precisely

  • Right, left, or both arms and whether one arm stabilizes while the other performs the task
  • Reach below shoulder level, at shoulder level, overhead, behind the body, across the body, or away from the torso
  • Elbow bent or extended, wrist position, hand orientation, trunk posture, standing or seated position, and support available
  • Horizontal and vertical distance measured only when a reliable measurement exists
  • Static hold, repeated motion, rapid change, or sustained reach documented separately

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics provides a visual overview of Occupational Requirements Survey physical demands. It describes job demands such as lifting, carrying, reaching, pushing, and pulling and distinguishes the requirements of work from the capacities of an individual worker. Those definitions can improve task descriptions, but national occupational data do not replace evidence about one employer’s actual job.

Record load and force without guessing

  • Object or control, actual or stated weight, container weight, distance moved, starting and ending height, and whether the load shifts
  • Lift, lower, carry, push, pull, hold, brace, torque, grip, guide, or catch identified as different actions
  • Mechanical aid, cart, team lift, counterbalance, fixture, strap, handle, or other assistance and whether it was available and used
  • Maximum load separated from typical load and cumulative repetition
  • Unknown weight or force left unknown until measured or supported by a reliable record

BLS separately explains lifting and carrying measures, including the distinction between raising or lowering an object and transporting it. A job-demand file should retain the employer’s and worker’s own evidence rather than importing an occupational average as though it measured the actual task.

Map variation across the shift

  • Scheduled shift, overtime, startup, cleanup, line change, inventory, maintenance, emergency, and peak-volume duties
  • Task order and whether fatigue, production pace, temperature, floor condition, ladder use, or restricted space changes how the task is performed
  • Rotation, relief, break, helper, and substitution actually available on the relevant shift
  • Difference between written policy and actual practice preserved rather than resolved by assumption

Compare job demands with restrictions in separate columns

The related guide to comparing work restrictions with a disputed job offer explains how to preserve restrictions, offered duties, dates, and responses. The demand record adds the task-level facts needed for comparison. It should not decide whether the person can safely perform a task.

  • Quote the restriction, provider, date, duration, body part, and stated limits exactly
  • Quote the offered duty, schedule, start date, supervisor, location, and described accommodations
  • Link each offered task to the reach, load, frequency, posture, and assistance evidence
  • Record questions sent to the employer or provider and the dated response
  • Do not change a medical restriction based on a manager’s task description or change a task description based on a medical assumption

Separate firsthand observations from opinions

North Carolina Rule of Evidence 701 addresses lay opinion, and Rule 702 addresses testimony involving scientific, technical, or other knowledge. A worker or coworker may preserve firsthand descriptions of tasks and events. Medical capacity, causation, ergonomics, impairment, and future restrictions may require qualified analysis.

  • Keep native job descriptions, videos, photographs, schedules, production records, and messages
  • Record who collected each item, when, and from what source
  • Use a working table for measurements and comparisons while preserving the original source set
  • Do not perform a restricted or unsafe task to measure capacity or create evidence. Any necessary workplace access or technical measurement should use authorized, appropriately qualified personnel and suitable safety controls

A North Carolina workers’ compensation matter involving a shoulder injury and disputed job demands may require medical restrictions, actual-duty evidence, job offers, and claim records to be reviewed together. This article is a documentation framework, not medical advice or a conclusion about work capacity, benefits, or claim outcome.