Fitness for Duty Exam

It is always important, when putting feet on the ground, that you are putting the right feet on the ground. The last thing that an employer wants is for one of his or her employees to become injured on the job. One of the many ways by which someone might find his or herself injured on the job is by attempting to perform a task that he or she is not fit for doing. Having an employee injured on the job is often followed by a worker’s comp claim. This is beneficial to the employee, but not so great for the employer. To avoid these troubles and decrease the likelihood of an incident, many employers require their employees to undergo a ‘fit for duty exam’, or ‘fitness for duty evaluation’. 

Different Fit for Duty Exams and Why they are Performed

The fitness for duty exam is not just for an employer skeptical of the abilities of a newly hired worker. There are several reasons that one could want to have an employee complete one. A return to work exam, for instance, is to be conducted to discern whether or not an employee is fit to complete the tasks required of him or her after a previous injury. Even after the individual’s doctor has given the ‘all clear’, it is still possible that the individual would pose a risk to themselves or others if he or she returned to work prematurely. Another fit for duty exam is called a ‘post-offer physical exam’. This type of fit for duty exam is fairly rigorous and is meant to fully assess the musculoskeletal system of the individual, includes drug and alcohol screenings, and sometimes even more medical surveillance. This is to make sure that the individual is fit for the job that he or she is about to start and can help to place them in a position that best suits their health. Similar to the post-offer physical, a ‘job performance exam’ can help to discern whether an individual is fully capable of doing his or her job and can also help to determine whether he or she can keep up with the rest of the team. 

Why are Fit for Duty Exams Important?

Although an employer must not discriminate against individuals with disabilities, it is important that the employer knows for certain that the prospective employee is up for the tasks required of him or her. Not only is it important that the work that is required be done, it is most important that it is done in a safe manner that does not pose a risk to coworkers and others around. It is always better to err on the side of caution and not take any chances when allowing someone into a potentially hazardous line of work. That is why it is a good idea to go ahead and utilize the various types of fit for duty exams. At the end of the day, employees are people, and those to whom they give their services are people as well. People are always worth the extra precaution. 

Whatever fitness for duty exam is needed, Bass Advanced Urgent Care can help to facilitate the assurance that you need to allow your workers to get out there and do what they need to do. Just remember that it is always better to take the extra steps to ensure a safe work environment. It could save workers from injury and loss, and it might even save your pocketbooks. Whether a new hire, or returning employee, it is sometimes necessary to go the extra mile and see to it that he or she is up for the job. BASS Primary Care can help.