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Job evaluation in worker fitness determination
Occupational Medicine (Philadelphia, Pa.)
|April 1, 1988
Summary
Accurate work fitness assessments require job-specific analysis of physical demands, not general tests. Quantitative job analysis identifies high-stress areas and informs reasonable accommodations for worker safety and legal compliance.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Ergonomics
- Workplace Safety
Background:
- Assessing work fitness for job placement demands specific evaluations of physical capabilities.
- General fitness tests may not accurately reflect job-specific demands or meet legal standards like Title VII.
Purpose of the Study:
- To outline essential components of a quantitative job analysis for evaluating worker fitness.
- To emphasize the importance of job-specific assessments over general fitness tests.
Main Methods:
- Detailed assessment of repetitive manual capabilities, static loading tolerance, and environmental conditions.
- Quantitative job analysis to identify high-stress anatomic structures and job demands.
- Evaluation of effort intensity, duration, frequency, and recovery times for muscle groups.
Main Results:
- Key factors for physical demand evaluation include effort intensity, duration, and repetition frequency.
- Psychophysical scaling and peer ratings can estimate effort intensity.
- Timing of effort and recovery quantifies fatigue and suggests task improvements.
Conclusions:
- Quantitative job analysis is crucial for identifying high-stress job components and informing reasonable accommodations.
- Workload assessment should consider aerobic capacity, environmental factors (heat, humidity), and psychological demands.
- Job modifications can often be implemented cost-effectively to improve worker capabilities and safety.