The term occupational health screening describes the requirement needed by the employer to know about the health conditions of their prospective employees. The obvious and prime objective of the move is to pre-empt work-related incidents and know about the diseases any employee may have. Through this sort of screening an employer comes to know whether a potential employer is best suited for any job.
Occupational health screening covers broad scope but its core function is to enhance the health and safety of work-environ; resultantly benefiting the workers and workplace.
Occupational health screening gives you the insight information whether any employee is physically fit for a specific job. For example a job of lifting and moving heavy objects require physical strength. Health screening can also help discovering the real condition of an employee and the possible of effects of some perilous substances on the job and allows or forces a company to amend or raise standards regarding health and safety measures.
MUTUAL BENEFICIAL
The benefits of occupational health screening are recognized by many companies as well as the government also. The well-being of a worker is the main point of consideration however there are other issues are also involved including financial issues. If any worker gets involved in an accident then the government will have to pay his medical bill and the litigation case may force governments to keep paying the affected for so many years to come.
And from company’s point of view it is also very vital and beneficial to keep the working environment safe and healthy, because if a worker damages his limb or back then that person may stay out of work for prolong period of time thus company may loses his part of productivity.
RAISING AWARENESS
The knowledge about the occupational health and safety and its screening hinges on the education and awareness about it. By ascertaining that everybody understands that the surrounding – objects and machines around them – might be posing threats to his physical well-being. There are many organizations and companies which carry out occupational health training for the employees so that they become fully aware of the laws regarding health care issues.
PRE-EMPLOYMENT SCREENING
Pre-employment health check is the examination usually carried out by health professional body to validate the physical fitness and medical soundness of the employee for the job. This may include a regular physical, drug or complete lab-tests. The result and the information received from these tests and examination can be used as the basis to evaluate health status and whether to offer a particular job or not? There are many approaches to determine the health conditions pre-employment and every approach is meant to weigh up the medical fitness of the prospective employees.
APPROACHES
Some methods and means of assessment include:
- Standard Paper Screen: In this a paper screen looking at past and current health declarations against the requirements and risk of the post.
- Declaration Paper Screen: Here a covering declaration is utilized which separates out only positive response to occupational health screening.
- Standard Physical Test: This involves a paper screening in conjunction with basic physical examination to verify health measures.
- Comprehensive Physical Test: Here a paper screen is carried on in relation with physical examination of the factors that may lead to any risk.
ASSESSMENT
Screening assessments will provide company recommendations for the changes and amendments that needed to be carried out to ensure the employee that are going to hire would be to perform his duties and often these reports are provided within 48 hours and usually conducted remotely which is also cost-effective.