Jimmy Pearce, PTA, CFCE, CEAS provides Industrial Testing at an expert level, having performed at least 1,500 Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE). The FCE is a full body, comprehensive medical test used to measure an employee's physical abilities and assist in injury management, whether the injury was sustained while at work or existed previously. The functional test may be used alone to document existing limitations or may be used as a comparison against original, baseline data or against a specific job description.
The FCE also measures consistency of effort and validity of performance to create realistic, objective rehabilitation goals, return to work recommendations, or work conditioning programs to capitalize on injury management procedures. This information is invaluable to objectively move the patient through the system in a fair and timely manner.
Impairment Ratings are often performed in conjunction with the FCE's. These are used to assign a percentage to a patient's disability. Both of these determine a patient's ability to return to work, with or without restrictions, and when might be most appropriate.
Other Industrial Testing
Pre-Work Screenings are available for employers to assure that they are hiring the best candidates for the job. Jimmy performs pre-work screenings and also performs Job Site analysis for industries and offices. Job Site Analysis is usually a great money saver for the company and can improve employee safety. It can provide their workers the safest possible work environment, helping injured workers get the treatment they need and bringing them back into their customary occupations safely while teaching them how to prevent injuries in the future.
The following are a few other industrial evaluations you may encounter while applying for a job once you receive an offer and while on the job.
- Work Tolerance Screening - The employee's physical capacities are tested to determine his or her ability to return to a specific job. During this screening, the employee performs work-simulated tasks based on a job description determine the appropriateness for returning to his/her usual and customary occupation.
- Pre-placement Screening - Also known as a pre-placement exam, it is an important part of the onboarding process. This concise but comprehensive screening is designed to determine if a potential employee can safely perform the job for which he or she is applying. Screening may involve testing the prospective employee's flexibility, strength, lifting and cardiovascular health.
- Job Site Analysis - Assesses the employee's workspace at their job site (workstations, equipment, tools, etc.) and specific job requirements that may contribute to injury or cumulative trauma. The clinician will then make recommendations to help prevent work-related injuries where improper ergonomics, excessive stresses, and repetitive motions may be harmful.
- Work Hardening - A program that combines simulated work activities and specific job-related tasks similar to the physical demands employees can expect in the customary occupation with physical conditioning and worker education.
- Worker Conditioning - Unlike work hardening, the primary focus is to build the worker's physical strength, flexibility, function, and cardiovascular health while working with the employee on confidence, injury prevention education, and self-discipline.