Physical Ability Testing

Chapter 1: Introduction to Physical Ability Testing

• • 1.1 The Physical Ability Test
• • 1.2 Impact of PATs on Safety
• • 1.3 Qualifications to Perform a Physical Ability Test
• • 1.4 Essential Job Functions – The Foundation of the PAT Program
• • 1.5 Types of PATs
• • 1.6 Contents of a Post-offer PAT
• • 1.7 The Basic Design of the PAT Protocol
• • 1.8 The Predictive Value of a PAT – Relation to “Direct Threat” Defense
• • 1.9 Benefits of Physical Ability Testing
• • 1.10 PAT vs Functional Capacity Evaluation
• • 1.11 Validity of Effort During Functional Testing

Chapter 2: Assessing Physical Ability to Work

• • 2.1 Assessing the Gap Between Physical Ability and Work Demands
• • 2.2 Employment Medical Examinations
• • 2.3 Assessing Risk, Capacity, and Tolerance to Work
• • 2.3.1 Assessing Work Risk
• • 2.3.2 Assessing Work Capacity
• • 2.3.3 Assessing Work Tolerance
• • 2.4 Assessing Impact of Impairments and Disability on Work Ability
• • 2.5 Lift Strength Capacity Tests
• • 2.5.1 Isometric Lift Tests
• • 2.5.2 Isokinetic Lift Tests
• • 2.5.3 Dynamic Lift Tests
• • 2.6 Cardiopulmonary Tests to Determine Work Fitness
• • 2.7 Limitations of Medical Imaging for Assessing Physical Ability to Work

Chapter 3: Avoiding Employment Discrimination

• • 3.1 Employment Discrimination – Responsibilities of Employer and Evaluator
• • 3.2 Discrimination Based on Disparate Impact of a PAT
• • 3.3 PAT Compliance with Antidiscrimination Laws
• • 3.4 Disparate Impact and the Four-fifths Rule
• • 3.5 Discrimination Related to Disability – ADA and ADAAA
• • 3.6 Discrimination Related to Drugs
• • 3.7 Discrimination Related to Obesity
• • 3.7.1 Addressing Obesity with PATs
• • 3.8 Discrimination Related to Pregnancy
• • 3.8.1 The Risks of Physical Ability Testing During Pregnancy
• • 3.8.2 Recommended Lifting Limits During Uncomplicated Pregnancies
• • 3.8.3 Lifting Thresholds for Pregnant Workers
• • 3.8.4 Accommodating Pregnancy When Administering PATs
• • 3.9 Discrimination Related to Age and Gender
• • 3.9.1 Age-based Disparity
• • 3.9.2 Gender-based Disparity
• • 3.10 Discrimination Related to Hearing Disabilities
• • 3.11 Discrimination Related to Visual Disabilities
• • 3.12 Discrimination Related to Artificial Intelligence
• • 3.12.1 How AI Technology Can Lead to Discrimination
• • 3.12.2 Ai Compliance with Title VII
• • 3.12.3 AI Compliance with ADA

Chapter 4: Disability and Interactive Accommodation

• • 4.1 Introduction
• • 4.2 Accommodation Timing and Inquiries
• • 4.3 Role of the PAT in Determining Accommodations
• • 4.4 Initiating an Accommodation Review
• • 4.5 Verifying a Covered Disability Under the ADA
• • 4.6 When an Accommodation Request Is Reasonable
• • 4.7 When an Accommodation Request Is Not Reasonable
• • 4.8 Disclosing Information Regarding Accommodations
• • 4.9 Choosing Accommodations – Employer vs Employee
• • 4.10 Response Time to Provide Reasonable Accommodation
• • 4.11 Reasonable Accommodations Related to the Hiring Process
• • 4.12 Types of Accommodations Related to Performing Essential Job Functions
• • 4.13 Accommodating Employees Covered by ADA and FMLA
• • 4.14 Undue Hardship
• • 4.15 Interactive Accommodation Review: Step-by-step Guide

Chapter 5: Physical Demands Analysis

• • 5.1 Introduction
• • 5.2 Role of Ergonomics in Determining Essential Physical Demands
• • 5.3 Project Planning
• • 5.4 The PDA Process
• • 5.5 Assessing Postural Demands
• • 5.6 Assessing Repetitive Motions
• • 5.7 Assessing Lift Demands
• • 5.8 Assessing Multi-person Lifts
• • 5.9 Assessing Carry Demands
• • 5.10 Assessing Push and Pull Demands
• • 5.10.1 Assessing Push/Pull Forces on Operating Valves
• • 5.11 Assessing Climbing Demands
• • 5.12 Assessing EE Demands
• • 5.13 Assessing Balance and Coordination Demands
• • 5.14 Assessing Vibration Exposure Demands
• • 5.15 Assessing Vision and Hearing Demands
• • 5.16 Assessing Environmental Demands
• • 5.17 Summary of PDA Steps
• • 5.18 The PDA Questionnaire
• • 5.19 Memorializing and Maintaining Current PDA Data
• • 5.19.1 Role for Healthcare Providers
• • 5.19.2 Defining Essential Functions
• • 5.19.3 Report Format and Level of Detail
• • 5.19.4 Required Report Elements
• • 5.19.5 Review and Finalization Process
• • 5.19.6 Ongoing Updates
• • 5.19.7 Organizational Structure of the FJD

Chapter 6: Validating Physical Ability Tests

• • 6.1 Introduction
• • 6.2 Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures and Test Validation
• • 6.2.1 In summary
• • 6.3 Fairness of Testing and Disparate (Adverse) Impact
• • 6.3.1 Determining Disparate (Adverse) Impact of Test - The “Four-fifths Rule”
• • 6.4 Work Environment Factors That Threaten Validity and Reliability
• • 6.5 Testing Errors That Threaten Reliability
• • 6.6 The Three Basic Methods for Validating PATs
• • 6.6.1 Establishing Content Validity
• • 6.6.1.1 Steps for Conducting a Content Validation of a PAT
• • 6.6.2 Establishing Criterion-related Validity
• • 6.6.2.1 Types of Criterion-based Validity
• • 6.6.2.2 Steps for Conducting a Criterion-related Validation of a PAT
• • 6.6.2.3 Summary
• • 6.6.3 Establishing Construct Validity
• • 6.6.3.1 Steps for Conducting a Construct Validation of a PAT
• • 6.7 Combining Content and Criterion-related Validity
• • 6.8 Cost and Time Involved with Content Validation vs Criterion-related Validation
• • 6.9 Summary of Key Differences in Validation Approaches
• • 6.10 Legal Challenges to Validated Physical Ability Tests
• • 6.11 Steps Employers Can Take to Defend Against Legal Challenges
• • 6.12 Unacceptable Evidence for Validity
• • 6.13 Maintaining Ongoing Validity of a PAT Program
• • 6.14 References That Support the Validation Process

Chapter 7: Policies and Procedures for Test Evaluators

• • 7.1 Introduction
• • 7.2 The Role and Obligations of the Evaluator
• • 7.3 Liability Considerations for Evaluators Administering PATs
• • 7.4 Creation of PAT Protocols
• • 7.5 Standardization of the Test Environment
• • 7.6 Space and Equipment Requirements
• • 7.7 Timing of Medical Inquiries
• • 7.8 Qualifications for Administering a PAT
• • 7.9 Verification of Identity of Test Recipient and PAT Protocol
• • 7.10 Medical Consent and HIPAA Release Forms
• • 7.11 Medical Inquiries and Health Questionnaires
• • 7.12 Monitoring Heart Rate and Blood Pressure
• • 7.12.1 Pretest Recordings
• • 7.12.2 Monitoring Vitals During Testing
• • 7.13 Conducting the Physical Examination
• • 7.14 Accommodating Testing for Pregnant Individuals
• • 7.15 Assessing Symptomatic Test Recipients
• • 7.16 Assessing Test Recipients Taking Pain Medications
• • 7.17 Performing Physical Ability Tests
• • 7.17.1 Nonmaterial Handling Functional Tests
• • 7.17.1.1 Hand Dexterity Test
• • 7.17.1.2 Postural Tolerance Test
• • 7.17.1.3 Walking Test
• • 7.17.1.4 Stair Climbing Test
• • 7.17.1.5 Crawling Test
• • 7.17.2 Material Handling Functional Tests
• • 7.17.2.1 Lift Test
• • 7.17.2.2 Standardizing the Lift
• • 7.17.3 Progressive Dynamic Lift Test Methodology
• • 7.17.4 Policy for Lift Boxes
• • 7.17.5 Lift Test Policy for Assessing Target or Maximum Lift Capacity
• • 7.17.6 Performing Multiple Dynamic Lift Tests – The “Top-down” Method
• • 7.17.7 Carry Test
• • 7.17.8 Push–Pull Tests
• • 7.17.9 Isokinetic and Isometric Lift Tests