Cognitive Fit Testing — Are Your Employees Mentally Fit for Duty?

Author: Tony Mudd, CSP  Published: 6/22/2023 Time: 3 Minutes

According to the National Safety Council, there were more than 4 million medically consulted injuries in 2021 and the numbers continue to rise. In 2021, the industry sector experiencing the largest number of preventable fatal injuries was construction, followed by transportation and warehousing. The industry sector experiencing the highest fatality rates per 100,000 workers was agriculture, forestry, fishing, and hunting, followed by mining. (Work Safety Introduction - Injury Facts, 2023)

This is why it is so important that employers implement safety measures and programs to mitigate injuries and prevent worker injuries. Many employers have developed employee Fit for duty programs which are recommended by OSHA to help identify the physical, mental, and emotional state. To determine if employees can function safely without getting themselves or someone else hurt. This has helped many workplaces use these programs for at-risk or high-risk employees prior to placement. Ultimately, preventing workers' compensation claims and other indirect costs such as team member replacement, training, investigation cost, etc.

Some workplaces use them as pre-employment tools and they have also been used as part of a return-to-work program. So that an injured employees can return to work as soon as they are able to perform their work safely.

Cons of Fit for Duty Programs

Even though Fit for Duty programs have been seen as effective programs there is a downside. Many of these programs lack accessibility and frequency. Many times, employers who use this style of program are required to schedule an exam with a medical provider which can take days or hours. This in turn can cause a loss in productivity, downtime, and push back start dates for new hires. Once the employee completes the exam the employers will have to wait several hours or a few days for the results. In terms of frequency, employers can only perform the exam on one employee at a time or as the employee returns back to work from an injury. The traditional fit-for-duty program puts some limitations on employers and doesn't help employers easily track which team members are at high risk for an injury accident. That's were we can help! Our technology works great when paired with a proactive safety and health program.

Our Services Include:

✅ Cognitive Fit Testing -> 3X Per Day -> Onsite (Unlimited Employees)

✅ Customized Worker Performance Dashboards & Analytics

✅ Real-time Worker Monitoring (Focus | Speed | Memory)

If you would like more information about how we can help your team digitalize safety to measure human performance in your workplace, please contact us today. Let us help reduce Workers' Comp exposure and prevent injuries in your workplace.

Stay Safe Today!

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