Title: Comprehensive Guide to Conducting a Job Demand Analysis for Occupational Health Professionals
For many occupational health professionals, understanding the intricacies of job demand analysis (JDA) is crucial to creating an effective post-offer employment testing program. This guide provides a detailed overview of JDAs, offering insights into their importance and execution.
Introduction
Greetings from Dr. Larry Earl and Dena Kirk of the National Association of Occupational Health Professionals (NAOHP)! Recently, Dena Kirk, a seasoned occupational therapist and System Director of Rehab Services and Occupational Medicine at Southern Illinois Healthcare, shared her expertise on JDAs at a town hall event.
Job Demand Analysis: The First Step
A job demand analysis is an enhanced job description that captures the physical requirements of a position, making it a critical component of post-offer employment testing. Dena Kirk emphasizes that a JDA delves into the specifics, evaluating physical capabilities like lifting, pushing, pulling, and work intensity.
Process of Conducting a JDA
The process starts with a phone call from a company. At this point, the health professional reviews any existing job descriptions, interviews employees, observes job tasks, and measures factors like weight and push/pull forces. This firsthand observation ensures an accurate assessment of job demands.
When compiling the data, the professional documents all physical aspects, from lifting to environmental conditions, and verifies this with the employer. Importantly, the JDA must be revisited if the company’s needs or technology change over time.
Importance of Documentation
Dena shared a JDA checklist that helps ensure thorough documentation. This tool aids in maintaining records, facilitating discussions with employers, and ensuring JDAs remain accurate and up-to-date.
Transitioning to Post-Offer Employment Testing
A completed JDA can transition into a post-offer employment test, where new hires’ abilities are evaluated against job demands. This testing phase is crucial not only for employment decisions but also for gathering baseline medical data.
Fit for Duty versus Functional Capacity Evaluations
The session highlighted the differences between a fit-for-duty exam and a functional capacity evaluation (FCE). The FCE is an extensive assessment of an employee’s capabilities, typically lasting four to six hours and ordered by a physician. In contrast, a fit-for-duty test, developed from a JDA, is shorter and focuses on ensuring employees can meet specific job demands.
Future Directions
The NAOHP plans to offer a certification course covering JDAs, post-offer employment testing, and fit-for-duty assessments, aiming to consolidate knowledge and standardize procedures.
Conclusion
Occupational health professionals play a critical role in ensuring workplace safety through JDAs and subsequent testing. Dena Kirk’s expertise highlights the importance of accurate assessments and how they benefit employers and employees alike.
Members can grab Dena Kirk’s Job Demands Analysis Worksheet Here.
Stay tuned for more updates on certification courses and other resources offered by NAOHP.
Resources:
Slide handout pdf:
