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Measuring and Managing the risk in the workplace

Principles underscoring the Universal Fitness Test

The three great body system dysfunctions of our time are:

1.   Metabolic

2.   Musculo-skeletal

3.   Mental.

We’ve narrowed down the tests to those of metabolic health (aerobic fitness) and the strength component of musculo-skeletal health. Flexibility is vitally important in measuring the risk of personally-generated musculo-skeletal dysfunction.

PRINCIPLES

You want to be able to use the smallest number of field tests that

	are reliable and valid for the aerobic fitness and strength related tasks involved in the workplace.
	are commonly known - they're field tests not laboratory tests
	take the shortest possible time to administer
	can be conducted individually or in groups
	can be administered or supervised by anyone with an interest in fitness and who has undergone a simple training program, though for an 'official' test we recommend someone with an OH&S and/or fitness qualification
	can be administered in any location in the world
	do not require specialized facilities - can be administered indoors or outdoors
	can be trialled by people themselves in preparation for an official test
	provide people with results they can meaningfully understand and determine where they stand in the fitness pantheon
	are based on standards that are readily achievable by people in the workforce - regardless of their age
	require a minimal amount of equipment
	require minimal set-up time.

MEASURING AEROBIC FITNESS

It's important that aerobic fitness be in a fitness test battery because aerobic fitness is the foundation of good metabolic health..

The most meaningful way to measure it is the Miller 20m, 5 minute run. The test involves people seeing how many laps of a 20m course they can complete in 5 minutes. It's an improvement on the 'beep test'.

In our experience people in poor metabolic health will walk for the full five minutes. People who are fit will run.

Those in between will walk, shuffle and jog.

A trained observed can monitor progress of participants and slow down those who are not in good shape and who appear to be struggling.

People in poor shape will do less than 20 laps. People in good shape will do over 40 laps.

The worst case we’ve seen is 9 laps. The best case is 60 laps for men and 55 for women, so the test provides a very discriminating set of scores.

It is suitable for elite force employees. We recommend the diamond or platinum levels.

The advantage of the Miller 20m run over the ‘beep test’ is that it takes less time to administer and doesn’t require a device to broadcast ‘beeps.’ It is suitable to use with groups, with up to 20 people being able to take part in the test at the same time.

With groups, pair people up, one running the other counting laps.

Click here to read more about the 20m run test.

The Miller 20m run test provides participants with more meaningful feedback about the status of their aerobic fitness than the ‘beep’ test. For many people it is a salutary reminder of just how out of condition they are, compared with what their condition has been in the past.

People can use the test at any time to measure their aerobic fitness at home.

It provides more meaningful feedback than a bicycle ergometer test.

You won’t find this test in any red or green book because the medical industry at the parish level doesn’t measure aerobic fitness. Cardiac specialists do, expensively, with their clients on a treadmill or stationary bike while hooked up to a range of monitors.

Treadmill and stationary bike tests

Treadmill and bicycle ergonometer tests are, in the main progressive - ie you keep increasing the speed and the elevation until people are forced to give up. Being one-on-one laboratory tests, they are expensive and time-consuming to do. You could take 40 people through the 20m run test in less time it takes to do one treadmill or bike test.

Clinical laboratory tests are good for people with severe metabolic dysfunction where heart rate and other vital functions need to be closely monitored under medical supervision while the test is done.

MEASURING STRENGTH

The principles that apply to deciding which aerobic fitness test is the best also apply to the selection of tests of strength.

You want to smallest number of tests.

BODY COMPOSITION

The first test is based either on percent bodyfat or an assessment of hw many kilos over weight.of how many kilos over weight. Most people who are overweight are either over fed or under exercised.

STRENGTH

We have three strength tests:

 Situps - front of body and trunk strength

 Pressups - upper body and trunk strength

 Squats - leg strength

... which fits the needs of a small number of tests measuring the strength of a wide range of muscles.

We believe the people who perform best in these three tests will perform best at any tests specifically related to a job that involves lifting, carrying, holding and propelling objects.

If we were to add one extra test it would be an ability to support one's own weight while suspended (by the hands) from a bar.

FLEXIBILITY

We have three flexibility tests. The first two are muscles attached to the pelvis which when tight are the ones most likely to take the pelvis out of alignment. When that happens it is the most likely the bones above and below the pelvis will be taken out of alignment, causing people to complain of lower back, neck, hip and knee pain.

  hamstring flexibility - sit and reach

  buttock muscle flexibility - sit up straight

  shoulder function

AEROBIC FITNESS

The test of aerobic fitness is the 20m run, seeing how many laps can be completed in 5 minutes. The score out of ten is multiplied by 3.

 Miller Health

7 Salvado Place, Stirling (Canberra) ACT 2611 Australia