I agree with Sue's comment regarding the interview panel screening out
people at interview who would be unable to meet the requirements of the
job due to height/weight issues. Several years ago I received a PEQ from
a potential candidate for a role in catering. This role included pushing
large trolleys full of food onto ward areas from the kitchens. The
candidate had a form of dwarfism and was less than 4' tall. As the
trolleys were approx 6' tall, it was very obvious he wouldn't be able to
see over the top and this would be a health & safety issue!
Hey, it's Friday!!!!!
Rita
Rita E Ogden
Specialist Practitioner/Clinical Team Leader,
Occupational Health Service,
St. James's University Hospital
Tel: 0113 2065228
Leeds General Infirmary
Tel: 0113 3923267
>>> "Dr Mark O'Connor" <[log in to unmask]> 14/09/2007
16:36 >>>
Hi Sue
None of us know all we need to know of course but it sounds like you
have
the common sense to spot a potential arse-biter like this - so well
done!
Can you tell us more about the actual requirements of the job. Ie are
staff
really expected to physically restrain in the way a police officer
might
have to or is this being agile enough to escape injury to oneself and
quick
enough to perhaps place a comforting hand to direct a learning
disabled
person who is agitated to a place of safety. Ie what is the real hazard
and
subsequent risk assessment here
I look after a large mental health trust and we assess this on
questionnaire
which is a self declaration form looking for obvious limb / neck or
other
mobility disorders that then can be invited to a more specific
examination
in order to make a decision usually in full collaboration with a
sensible
employee. It is rarely the major aspect of these folks jobs and so any
employer would need to be careful about a blanket refuseniks of BMIs>30
say
without considering redeployment or other adjustment ( which includes
having
enough staff to assist)
Older people have more ailments and are fatter on the whole and this
could
be an indirect age discrimination ( I hesitate to raise sex
discrimination
for fear of your construing my stereotype about weight distribution
between
men and women ;)
Is there a justifiable well established evidence based risk assessed
"pepsi"
fitness standard in this job? - if not then this seems decidedly dodgy
and
employer should be reminded that PEQs do not help predict who is going
to be
a effective member of staff
There is an online automated PEQ assessment program on the web
somewhere
which I shall try and find out details for you that would relieve you
of
this burden ;)
Good luck
Mark
On 14/09/2007, sue harrison-stone <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
> Hi
> Don't you just hate it when you are new in post and don't know all
you
> want
> or need to know! Still keeps the old grey cells working.
> I have been asked to find out about height and weight in PEM forms.
HR
> are
> concerned that if we recruit folk who are very over weight or tiny
they
> will
> not be able to cope with the training and when required
implementation of
> Physical Management of Aggression procedures. Some of the staff have
had
> problems in doing the training and even worse have been unable to
manage
> the
> clients because of the weight or height of the staff member.
> On that basis they think the question should be added to the form.
I
> wonder
> why they don't screen folk out at interview. HR say they can't
exclude
> folk
> in the job advert. If we do add it to forms where do I stand if I
say
> someone is not fit for the job based on heaigth etc. And how do I
know
> they
> cant cope? thinking of some of the BIG actors in the stage version
of
> Billy
> Elliot they danced hard and fast and were very fit. Five mins into
their
> roles I would have been gasping!
> The exec of the Trust feel that we have a problem and seem to want
> everyone
> to go to weight watchers! But it is a problem both with new and old
> employees. As are back aches and arthritis for staff who need this
sort
> of
> training and skill too.
> Any thoughts and help gratefully accepted.
> Sue
>
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--
Dr Mark O'Connor
On line pre employment questionnaire and assessments available at
http://www.oconnorandassociates.co.uk/peq/
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