Document RaBaBoq7MK9vz3wR3nDokbv2z

Physical classification. The labor market simply cannot supply all physically perfect workers In fact, the percentage of workers in perfect health is extremely low The working population now includes more per sons with disabilities than ever before Advances in medical science now prolong the lives of many who would have died of war injuries, or of illnesses, such as tuber culosis, diabetes, and heart disease Ac cidents m industry, in traffic, and in the home continue to increase the number of handi capped persons Because of his proximity to the problem and his regular plant inspections, the com pany's physician should have a better under standing of the job requirements than other physicians Therefore, it is his responsi bility to provide management with clear recommendations on the employability, lim ited employability, or nonemployability of applicants for jobs Many systems of classification are now m use Generally, however, these systems use broad statements, such as "physically fit for any work", "defect that limits applicant to certain jobs" (the defect may or may not be correctible, but may require medical super vision), and "defect that requires medical attention and is presently handicapping " This disqualifies a person for any type of employment Another method provides a greater range in expression of limiting factors, allowing more alternatives for the individual case Yet another method, which approaches the ultimate in functional evaluation of the individual, appraises capacities on a form with the identical terminology used in eval uating the physical or functional factors and working conditions of jobs (Fig 40-6) This effective method of presenting infor mation from a physical examination clearly indicates the specific work capability and limitations of the individual Thus the med ical report is more meaningful to the place ment officer because the examining physi cian indicates ability or limitations with re spect to each job factor The examining physician, then, is responsible for determin ing the occupational significance of physical disorders This now makes proper job evaluation im portant That is, employers must be aware of the physical requirements of jobs and the accident and health hazards involved Each job-appraisal factor has a direct relationship which makes it either definitely unsuitable or potentially undesirable for one or more types of disability The factors to be con sidered m job appraisal are physical demands, working conditions, health hazards, and ac cident hazards Physical demands include agility, strength, exertion, vision, hearing, talking, sitting, standing, walking, running, climbing, crawl ing, kneeling, squatting, stooping, twisting, lifting, and handling They should be eval uated according to quality of ability and dura tion of activity For example, a job involving a considerable amount of stair climbing is unsuitable for workers with heart disease, respiratory diseases, obesity, or lower limb orthopedic disorders, but a small amount of stair climbing may be tolerated Working conditions include indoors, out doors, excessive heat or cold, excessive hu midity or dryness, wetness, sudden temper ature changes, ventilation, lighting, noise, whether the work is performed alone, near others, with others, or as shift work or piece work Some of these conditions could have a harmful influence upon certain disabilities For example, work m excessive heat is gen erally unsuitable for persons who have had malaria, or for those with high blood pres sure, heart disease, skin disease, the aged, and the obese Health hazards include air pressure ex tremes, radiant energy (ultraviolet, infra red, radium emanations, and X rays), silica, asbestos, dusts, and skin lmtants, respiratory irritants, systemic poisons, and asphyxiants These hazards have serious effects and can aggravate a preexisting bodily defect For example, a job might involve exposure to respiratory irritants of insignificant quanti ties to a normal person, yet this condition might aggravate the disability of a person who has chronic bronchitis Accident hazards include danger of falls from elevations, work on moving surfaces, slipping and tripping hazards, exposure to vehicles or moving objects, falling objects 1239