How do you know the people you hire will be physically strong enough to do their job?
How will you ensure they can safely handle the repetitive motions of their job without a high risk of injury?
That’s where Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCEs) come in!
Read on to learn all about how FCEs can help you to create a safer workplace for your employees, and a healthy, more productive organization overall.
What’s the Difference Between Functional Capacity Evaluations, Fit for Duty and Return to Work Exams?
One of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to prevent injury is to determine whether a candidate is able to perform the physical aspects of a job before they’re hired.
FCE’s will evaluate how physically fit the candidate is.
This informs the employer if they will be safe and physically fit to perform the functions of the job – and assuming they pass their FCE, it provides the employer confidence and peace of mind.
Many employers will require a Fit for Duty exam or a Return to Work exam after the employee has been on leave for a workplace injury.
But, what if the employer could determine the employee’s ability to do the work before an injury occurs?
Whereas Fit for Duty and Return to Work Exams are usually centered around the medical clearance of a specific issue that caused the workplace injury, FCEs tackle every job function for a particular position and apply a series of tests specifically for that role.
FCEs are conducted during the pre-employment process and much more comprehensive than a Fit for Duty exam or a Return to Work exam.
The 3 Key Benefits of a Functional Capacity Exam Are:
- An assessment of a person’s strength, endurance and flexibility.
- A person’s capability to handle repetitive tasks with consistency.
- If the FCE is part of a Fit for Duty or Return to Work exam, it can provide the employee with information about their limitations. For the employer, it gives them the information needed to pass onto their physician so they can assign any necessary restrictions to the employee. This allows the employer to place the recently injured worker in their most productive role—allowing a safer workplace for everyone.
How Does A FCE Work?
At Axiom, we don’t just provide employee testing – we make the process simple and easy.
The employer chooses between a full or modified FCE and we handle the rest!
Whether you have one employee or 150 that require the FCE, we manage all the details so you can focus on the big picture objectives of your business. That way, nothing gets in the way of your bottom line.
It’s just one of the many ways we’re transforming occupational medicine.
Heather lives and writes by the motto, “No coffee, no workee,” and is passionate about helping others live a happier and healthier life. When she’s not writing away, you can find her playing basketball with her two sons, planning her next getaway “somewhere tropical” or trying out a new recipe with chocolate as the main ingredient.
Find out more about our Injury Case Management services or our Occupational Health Programs.
