When employers are establishing policies and practices to keep their work environments safe, it is important for them to consider what qualifies as being fit for duty. Depending on the safety sensitive position that an employee will be in, it is acceptable to complete fit for duty assessments as long as certain protocols are being respected, such as regulations regarding the Human Rights Code.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration defines being fit for duty as “a physical, mental, and emotional state which enables the employee to perform the essential tasks of his or her work assignment in a manner which does not threaten the safety or health of oneself, co-workers, property, or the public at large”. Moreover, employers often opt in to fit for duty programs to determine if medically that potential or current employees can perform needed tasks under the current working conditions.
Our team at CannAmm Occupational Testing Services promotes the implementation of fit for duty programs as this is one of the first steps in ensuring the safety of all individuals in your work environment. The following are four of the most common assessments completed to determine if an employee qualifies as being fit for duty:
- Drug and Alcohol Testing
- Done to improve safety of one’s work environment as people who are under the influence of drugs or alcohol at work will put themselves and others at risk
- Deters people from using drugs and alcohol at work
- Audiometric Exposure Testing
- Prevents hearing loss through early identification
- Assesses the effectiveness of noise exposure management systems
- Helps to identify individuals with hearing limitations, which could lead to the prevention of serious incidents in the workplace
- Functional Fitness Tests
- Helps manage employee health risks and reduces employee injuries
- Physical Demands Analysis
- Respiratory Function Testing
- Evaluates an employee’s lung function with a pulmonary function test (PFT)
- Assesses the effectiveness of protective equipment
- Mask fit tests. This ensures the personal protective equipment fits well enough to protect the worker from hazardous exposure
Assessments to determine if an employee qualifies as being fit for duty can be completed at a number of different points in an employee’s tenure. Depending on an employer’s goals and the requirements that they are to maintain, assessments may be completed in all or some of the following situations:
- Pre-employment testing: Used to identify candidates who could pose a risk in safety-sensitive work environments.
- Pre-access testing: Used to identify people who could pose a risk in safety-sensitive work environments before giving them access to the work site.
- Post-incident/post-accident testing: Used to determine the possible contributing factors of a workplace incident and work to prevent future incidents.
- Reasonable cause: Used to objectively evaluate possible factors when there are visible signs and symptoms of substance use impacting workplace safety. This type of assessment is usually requested by a supervisor who has completed drug and alcohol awareness training.
- Random drug and alcohol testing: Used to deter substance use and enhance safety policy compliance by testing a random sample of the workforce. This ensures that employees maintain being fit for duty throughout their tenure as there is no knowledge of when the random testing may occur.
- Unannounced follow-up testing: Used when following a policy violation. This ensures compliance with the fit for duty program prior to and after being reinstated to work.
Having a customized fit for duty policy specific to your workplace and industry provides a framework for dealing with the difficult and often sensitive issues surrounding substance abuse, medical conditions, and related stress and fatigue. This not only will help keep everyone in your workplace safe but will also create specific guidelines that configure with regulations and legislation.
Do you know what qualifies as being fit for duty for your safety sensitive positions? Reach out to our experts at CannAmm today to go over or build a fit for duty program to ensure your workforce is protected.
References:
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration – https://www.osha.gov/
The Canadian Center for Occupational Health and Safety – https://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/psychosocial/fit_to_work.html
