Prevention

The ultimate product of comprehensive occupational health initiative is a comprehensive approach to reducing health and safety costs through the prevention and management of work-related injuries and illness.  Below are the components for assessments, exams and screenings.

Pre-Employment Screening

IWIRC designs pre-placement tests under ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) guidelines to effectively screen out prospective employees who are not physically capable of doing the job they have been offered. Components of pre-placement screens include drug testing, physicals and functional tests. One surgical back injury costs as much as testing 400 new employees. In practical terms, only one employee with a bad back would need to be screened out per year for this plan to break even. IWIRC helps employers determine which job categories (descriptions) would most benefit from pre-placement screening. IWIRC is able to provide all of these services during a single patient visit and results are available immediately.

Physical Examinations

The Basic Physical includes: a medical and occupational history, vital signs, height, weight, visual acuity and a physical.  Our Medical Providers perform the physical exams and clinical technicians provide the screening and testing.

Functional Exams (Lift Test)

Functional exams and lift tests are performed by IWIRC’s rehabilitation staff.  These exams are used to determine an individual's physical abilities, limitations, and readiness for a specific job or to return to work.  In order to thoroughly assess an individual's true work capacity, it is important to separate objective findings gathered during physical effort testing, with more subjective findings gathered during symptom magnification testing.

DOT Exams and Drug Testing

The Departments of Transportation regulations have expanded over the years to include commercial drivers. This expansion has affected many employers. DOT exams and NIDA urine drug testing are provided as well as BAT testing. Medical Review Officer services are provided in-house by our certified physicians.

OSHA Mandate Screenings

Many work environments have identified hazards that are monitored under the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). IWIRC physicians have been specially trained to review the work site hazards and to develop appropriate health exams and screenings to provide employers with base line data in abeyance with OSHA regulations.  This resource is crucial to employers.

Respiratory

Respiratory Surveillance programs provide pulmonary function screening and respirator monitoring.

Hearing

The Hearing Conservation Program provides employers with certified audiology screening, annual monitoring, education of the employees and policy and procedures for protective hearing devices and documentation.

Training

Most back injuries are caused by improper lifting techniques, and are preventable.  Understanding and teaching proper body mechanics and safe lifting techniques is a specialty of IWIRC’s rehabilitation staff.  At IWIRC, functional testing for new employees includes training on how to lift properly. Existing staff could be trained in a relatively short period of time. Training for proper stretching techniques and correct posture are also proven methods of injury prevention that should be considered.

Job Description Development

Job descriptions are an invaluable part of human resource management, especially in the areas of worker placement and workers compensation management.  Functional job descriptions outlining specific physical demands for positions offer employers a tool to use in injury management including hiring and modified duty placement.  In addition, physicians can use them to determine the appropriate worker placement in post-offer physicals and fitness for duty examination.