Workplace Functional Assessments

A Workplace Functional Assessment (WFA) provides a comprehensive evaluation of a candidate’s physical capabilities in relation to the demands of a specific role. The process involves both medical screening and functional performance testing, giving employers clear, objective insights into whether a candidate is fit for work.

What’s Involved:

• Health & Medical Review: Includes relevant medical history, medication use, and any previous injuries or conditions that may impact safe work performance.
• Baseline Measurements: Height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure to help identify underlying health risk factors.
• Cardiovascular Fitness Testing: Assesses aerobic capacity and endurance to ensure the candidate can meet the stamina requirements of the role.
• Musculoskeletal Assessment: Evaluates joint range of motion, flexibility, strength, balance, and core stability.
• Job-Specific Functional Testing: Tailored tasks such as lifting, carrying, pushing, pulling, or working in sustained postures, designed to replicate the real physical demands of the job.

Pre-employment assessments are particularly valuable for industries and roles where physical performance is a key part of the job, especially in sectors with higher rates of workplace injuries. These assessments help ensure that employees are physically prepared for the demands of their role, reducing the risk of strain, fatigue, and injury.
They are especially beneficial for positions involving:

Manual Handling:
Roles that require lifting, carrying, pushing, or pulling objects. WFAs help confirm that candidates have the necessary strength, technique, and body mechanics to perform these tasks safely.

Repetitive Movements:
Jobs involving repetitive upper or lower limb actions (e.g., production line work, food processing, or trades) can place stress on specific muscle groups and joints. Assessments can identify early signs of overuse risk and promote safer work practices.

Sustained or Awkward Postures:
Roles requiring prolonged standing, bending, kneeling, or sitting, such as drivers, caregivers, or office-based workers, can lead to postural strain. A WFA helps determine whether a candidate can tolerate these positions without risk of discomfort or injury.

Physically Demanding Tasks:
Occupations that involve endurance, coordination, or high levels of physical exertion (e.g., emergency services, agriculture, logistics, or trades) benefit greatly from screening to ensure candidates are fit for the demands of the role.

By tailoring each assessment to the specific physical and environmental demands of the job, PEFAs give employers the confidence that new hires are capable, safe, and ready to perform from day one, reducing turnover, injury rates, and workplace costs.

By undertaking a WFA, employers can…

Identify candidates at increased risk of injury, helping prevent future workplace incidents and downtime.

Determine if job modifications or workplace accommodations are required, ensuring roles are safe and accessible.

Demonstrate due diligence in promoting workplace safety, meeting legal and health & safety obligations.

Make objective, informed hiring decisions that protect both employees and the business from preventable injury and associated costs.

Ultimately, a WFA provides confidence that your new team member is physically prepared for their role, supporting safer, healthier, and more productive workplaces.