What is a Pre-Employment Medical Assessment?
A pre-employment medical (PEM) assessment or a Pre-Employment Functional Assessment (PEFA) is a health evaluation conducted during the recruitment process to determine a candidate’s physical and mental suitability for a specific role. This assessment helps identify any potential health risks or limitations that might affect the individual’s ability to perform job tasks safely and effectively.
By aligning the candidate’s health and functional capacity with the job’s demands, pre-employment medical assessments play a critical role in ensuring workplace safety, reducing injury risk, and promoting long-term employee well-being.
When Should I Refer for a Pre-Employment Medical Assessment?
Referrals for pre-employment medical assessments are recommended in situations such as:
- High-physical demand roles: For positions requiring significant physical activity, such as heavy lifting, prolonged standing, or repetitive movements.
- Safety sensitive roles: For jobs where health issues could pose a safety risk, such as operating machinery, driving, or working at heights.
- Health screening requirements: When industry regulations or company policies mandate health checks for specific roles.
- Injury prevention: To identify pre-existing conditions that may increase the risk of injury or illness in the workplace and potential risk for worker’s compensation claims and associated lost time costs due to injury.
- New hires or role changes: For onboarding new employees or transferring existing staff to roles with inherently different physical or psychological demands.
What Are the Benefits of Doing a Pre-Employment Medical Assessment?
Pre-employment medical assessments provide numerous advantages for employers and employees, including:
- Workplace safety: Ensuring employees can safely perform their tasks, reducing the likelihood of accidents and injuries.
- Injury prevention: Identifying potential health risks early and implementing appropriate preventative measures.
- Improved role fit: Matching employees to roles that align with their physical and mental capacities, enhancing job satisfaction and performance.
- Cost savings: Minimising downtime, workers’ compensation claims, and recruitment costs due to unsuitable hires.
- Legal and regulatory compliance: Meeting health and safety requirements and protecting the organization from potential liabilities.
- Health monitoring: Establishing a baseline of employee health for future comparisons, supporting ongoing health management.
Who Can Complete a Pre-Employment Medical Assessment?
Pre-employment medical assessments are conducted by trained healthcare professionals with expertise in occupational health. These may include:
- Occupational Physicians
- Occupational Therapists
- Physiotherapists
- Exercise Physiologists
Strive works with many employers to help customise their PEM’s and PEFA’s to match the role that the individual is applying for. This ensures that both employer and employee needs are met effectively.
Investing in pre-employment medical assessments demonstrates a commitment to workplace safety and employee well-being, helping to build a productive and resilient workforce.
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We are proud to be Queensland owned and operated. We operate across five geographical locations – Brisbane, Gold Coast, Toowoomba, Townsville and Cairns.
We are ideally positioned to help you meet your Pre-Employment Medical and Functional needs.