[The Gailingen Scaffold Test--a stress trial for occupations with a risk of falling]

The Jugendwerk Gailingen's rehabilitees with severe craniocerebral trauma placed in open employment include some 10% who work in construction, electric and metal-working industry occupations involving exposure to fall hazards, as a rule having returned to their previous occupations or following vocational training. During their rehabilitation, specific considerations have to be taken into account due to this hazard, both relative to work characterization and to rehabilitee remaining abilities and vocational assessment. Initially, the risk of falling must be identified, with subsequent estimation whether continuation of the hazard-generating activity will presumably be possible and/or justifiable. In the affirmative, this is followed by vocational assessment, which, beyond work tolerance and capacities, also deals with fall safety. The necessary strength, mobility, coordination, attention, concentration, and flexibility are assessed using the so-called Gailingen scaffold test. Although this test simulates but a fraction of possible work situations above ground and does look relatively harmless compared to real worklife, more than 100 rehabilitees have achieved successful, lasting integration in a variety of occupations which partly involve a rather high exposure to fall hazards, without any accidents having been reported at follow-up.