Page 64 - OHS, JulyAugust 2023

EMPLOYEE HEALTH SCREENING Onsite Health Screening’s Big 3 These 3 types of health screenings are key for injury prevention and improved employee health outcomes. BY LAUREN LAZAR For workers in high-risk environ- ments, their health and wellness are critical to their performance and function. But when shifts some- times range from eight to 10 hours a day, for five to six days a week, it can be hard to make time for the preventive healthcare needed to keep bodies and minds in opti- mal shape. Onsite health screenings are a valuable tool for workers and site leadership. No one wants to lose time on the worksite — employers and employees alike — so properly evaluating health and wellness, and developing a plan to improve both at home and on the job is becoming increas- ingly important. Health screenings pro- mote injury prevention, improve health outcomes and boost worksite culture and job satisfaction — all by ensuring that workers have convenient access to the health resources they need. Today, there are a variety of health screenings that can be provided right on the worksite and performed by clinicians who might already be present to support injury care. For leadership looking to ad- dress the whole health and wellness of workers, there are three key types of health screenings that give onsite clinicians a full picture of the health of each worker and the entire workforce — biometric screen- ings, ergonomic assessments, and health and wellness knowledge assessments. Biometric Screenings When workers bring themselves to the job site every day, they also bring with them their underlying health conditions. Know- ing and understanding the health condi- tions that are impacting the population is important for onsite clinicians to be able to provide the right care and treatments to deliver optimal health outcomes. Biomet- ric screenings, such as body mass index, blood pressure, blood sugar and choles- terol checks, can be performed by onsite occupational health professionals allow- ing them to better support the population. These screenings can assist with the detec- tion of hypertension, diabetes, and risk for heart disease. Onsite access to screenings allows workers to get their results within min- utes, and onsite professionals can provide appropriate counseling on next steps for further testing or treatment from primary physicians. These screenings also make early detection of chronic conditions pos- sible and provide valuable information for onsite providers to help workers pre- vent or manage conditions. For example, if an employee is showing prediabetic blood sugar levels, an onsite provider can discuss ways to manage blood sugar and prevent diabetes that the worker can begin implementing that same day. The best care provides an easy avenue to better health, and getting a biometric screening from a trusted onsite provider is a great way to get workers thinking more proactively about their wellbeing. Ergonomics Assessments For individuals performing tasks repeat- edly, the way they move their body can be the difference between a nagging injury and staying at full health. Ergonomics as- sessments are one-way onsite clinicians like athletic trainers can observe each worker’s body and help them use tactics to move better and produce more force with their tools and make less impact on their body. aomas/Shutterstock.com These evaluations can be done while workers are completing their job tasks, as athletic trainers are able to spot movements that could result in injury and advise work- ers of modifications at the same time. Slips, trips and falls are also a leading cause of injury on worksites. To prevent them, athletic trainers can run balance as- sessments to screen the worker population for balance deficits and use the informa- tion to incorporate pre- or post-shift bal- ance programs. Learning how to properly use their bodies to lift, push or grab equipment, etc., helps workers reduce stress on their bodies, prevent fatigue and exhaustion, and perform at more productive and ef- ficient levels. Especially as workers age, staying flexible and limber become both more difficult and more important. Set- ting a baseline for where the risk areas lie and how to improve them can give work- ers the insights they need to keep their bodies stronger and allow them to work later in their careers without pain. Health and Wellness Knowledge Screenings Health and wellness knowledge screen- ings are often deployed as surveys to gauge worker familiarity on important health topics like nutrition and exercise. These screenings can help build a baseline of 64 Occupational Health & Safety | JULY/AUGUST 2023 www.ohsonline.com