Physical Job Analysis – Case Study
This Physical Job Analysis of a Car Mechanic Case Study demonstrates the detailed job information that is required to then assess an injured/disabled worker.
In the industry, in UK, USA, Canada etc this type of assessment is also know by a variety of titles: Job Demands Analysis, Job Site Analysis, Work Site Analysis or a Physical Demands Analysis (PDA) . Click here, where an independent USA info site defines this type of assessment.
Remote based assessments, such as a Functional Capacity Evaluation (held in a clinic, meeting room, at the individual’s home address) of the individual’s abilities do not allow the assessor to view or assess the work role or work environment. Therefore, it is often necessary to conduct a physical Job Task Analysis at the work site location beforehand, so that the assessor has accurate information about the tasks and what physical postures are needed to do the job. The assessor can then assess the individual’s physical abilities, establish if the individual can do the job tasks (is there is a job match?), if any reasonable adjustments and a graduated return to work plan is required.
This example Physical Job Task Analysis Case Study is of a car mechanic job role.
The Need:
A man with low back pain was on long term sick leave from his job at a garage. The Referrer, a Case Manager wanted to know what the job tasks involved and if he could return to his work role.
The Objective:
The objective was to assess the work tasks prior to conducting a Functional Capacity Evaluation. Therefore a Physical Job Task Analysis of the work role was required.
The Solution:
The Occupational Therapist visited the workplace to discuss with the manager the specific job role to be assessed. This included gaining information on the physical work tasks (postures, manual handling), the work task mix and task rotation, the contracted breaks, uniform/PPE requirements, training requirements, team/individual working, environmental factors (hot, cold, dusty) etc.
Following this the assessor observed the job being performed by another worker and recorded the time spent in each posture. The movements required and equipment usage. Also the manual handling demands such as the weights lifted, carried, lowered, pushed and pulled.
Photographs & video clips were taken of the equipment in use and the postures required in order to record the data accurately. Equipment such as a tape measure to record heights etc and also a force gauge to record push/pull forces (eg of doors, trolleys etc) and weights of objects handled.
The assessment was approx 2 hours in duration.
A detailed report analysing the job demands was produced. A table layout in the report was able to clearly record the physical demands of the job in detail, and the frequency of which they were performed.
The Result:
The Job Demands Analysis report will assist when conducting the Functional Capacity Evaluation with an individual employee employed in that particular role, experiencing health issues. The data will also be beneficial for management, to assist others performing the same role within the organisation, in order to improve the work processes, review the ergonomics and postures of the various tasks. Therefore it can assist in the job design and the company strategy going forwards.
