PRE-EMPLOYMENT TESTING

Many companies and organizations face the potential of hiring employees who are not physically capable of performing the requirements of the job. Pre-employment strength testing is proven to substantially reduce the cost of Workers’ Compensation claims by matching the physical capabilities of the job applicant with the physical demands of the job.

Network Safety Consultants, The Horton Group’s safety consulting firm, has formed a partnership with Cost Reduction Technologies, the industry-leader in isokinetic testing, to offer highly effective pre-employment strength testing at our locations in Orland Park, Illinois and Waukesha, Wisconsin.

This technology helps identify an applicant’s lack of strength necessary to safely perform a job. In many cases, the lack of strength is because of previous injuries, or pre-existing conditions, that are likely to be aggravated by the physical demands of the job being offered.

• Develop a detailed description of job-related functions and ask the applicant whether he or she is capable of handling the tasks. This method depends entirely on the honesty and knowledge of the applicant in answering the question.
• Develop a post-offer Functional Capacity Evaluation where “conditionally” hired applicants are required to simulate the job in the presence of trained physical therapists or medical personnel. This process can take hours to complete, is very subjective, has a rejection rate of 1% in a population of applicants tested, and can cause injury to the applicant resulting in a Workers’ Compensation or liability claim.

• Pre-employment strength testing, or isokinetic testing, is an absolutely objective test that verifies each applicant’s ability to perform the demands of the job. A wealth of case law supports the use of isokinetic testing as a legal hiring tool.

• The test takes approximately 15 minutes.
• The machine will not allow individuals to push themselves harder than their bodies will allow. This eliminates the chance of over-exertion.
• A member of Network Safety Consultants will administer the test and send results directly to you the very same day.

• Pre-hire: All applicants hired to perform physically demanding work.
• Post-injury Return-to-Work Evaluation: By testing employees before they return to work, the test will determine whether your employees are once again fit to perform their previous functions.
• Determine Claim Legitimacy: When employees are tested prior to hire, post-injury tests can be compared against a baseline to determine actual extent, if any, of the injury. Additionally, the technology can identify when an employee is faking the extent of his or her injury.

• Myth: Employment laws prohibit me from refusing to hire someone, even though that person is more likely to be injured, or re-injured, on the job.
• Myth: Applicants who fail the strength testing will probably file suit against me for discriminatory hiring practices.
• Myth: According to the law, I have to make a conditional offer of employment before I can ask the applicant to complete this testing.
• Myth: The test can cause injury to an applicant, resulting in a liability claim if the applicant is not hired.

For more information or to schedule a pre-employment strength testing exam for your applicants, please log onto www.thehortongroup.com/strengthtesting.