What Are the Benefits of Physical Abilities Testing (PAT) to Employers?

The purpose of a physical abilities test (PAT) is to:

  • Identify problems before they occur
  • Reduced turnover by matching employee capabilities with job demands
  • Decreased injury risk to lowered the incidence of job-related injuries and worker’s compensation claims
  • Improve productivity by keeping trained and successful workers on the job
  • Decrease cost to employers by minimizing time lost to injuries, costs of rehiring, and training new employees
  • Improve employee morale by maintaining continuity of staffing
  • Build enduring business relationships with clients and customers by being able to consistently meet deadlines, expectations, and maintain competitive pricing for services
  • Increased profit margin

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Physical Abilities Testing (PAT) Provides Significant Monetary Benefits to Employers

Each year, more companies are using PAT and POET, as the benefits have become well-known:

New-hires who pass a post-offer screen are 47% less likely to experience a worker compensation injury and 21% more likely to retain their job.5
Implementation of physical abilities testing (PAT) reduces overall worker compensation injuries by as much as 41%.5
Implementing post/pre employment testing can earn companies up to $18 per dollar spent on screening.6
Across 18 different industries, pre-employment functional assessment testing has resulted in a 68.2% reduction in work injuries 7
Injury rate of non-PAT tested employees can reach up to 33% vs. 3% injury rate of employees who were screened using PAT.8
When post-offer employment testing is conducted the average cost per work injury. One study observed a drastic reduction from $1433 per work injury to $322.9


References:
5. Anderson C, Briggs J. A study of the effectiveness of ergonomically based functional screening tests and their relationship to reducing worker compensation injuries. Work. 2008;31(1):27-37.
6. Littelton M. Cost effectiveness of a pre-work screening program for the University of Chicago physical plant. Work. 2003;21(3):243-250.
7. Bunch R. (n.d.). Pre-Employment (Post-Offer, Pre-Placement) Functional Assessment and Benefits. Louisiana Association of Occupational Nurses.
8. Harbin G, Olson J. Post-offer, pre-placement testing in industry. Am J Ind Med. 2005 Apr;47(4):296-307.
9. Nassau D. The effects of pre-work functional screening on lowering an employer’s injury rate, medical costs, and lost days. Spine. 1999;24(3):269-274.