QUICK OVERVIEW

Physical ability tests are gaining popularity among employers who wish to actually make an impact on injury reduction in their industries.  It is well established that half of all back injuries are caused by overexertion.  Overexertion simply means that the employee lacks the sufficient strength to perform the lifting or carrying task.

Due to various employment discrimination laws and court decisions, employers must validate these tests and document that their use is consistent with business necessity.  These tests must be validated by persons with expert knowledge in job analysis, testing, and employment discrimination law.

Technology available today allows employers to perform their own tests using a valid cut-off score.  Employers do not need to pay outside consulting firms to validate every test or every employment decision.  Newly developed tests are inexpensive and can be administered by trained human resource personnel.  The tests can also be used by health or testing professionals. To see a nine minute video (Windows Media Player) produced by one employer about its own testing program, click here

MED-TOX can validate a strength test for your new hires.  Even if a strength test saved your company only a single back injury over the course of a decade, this savings would more than compensate for the costs of developing the test.

The MED-TOX website contains numerous resources on physical ability test validation.  Click the links on the left to find this information.