Fit for Work

Fit-for-Work and Fit-for-Life Award

The Fit for Work Award is designed to help organisations:

•	measure the risk of absenteeism, presenteeism, workers compensation and staff turnover that comes with employees who are in poor physical condition.

•	encourage employees to keep themselves fit and healthy to the best of their ability

•	determine which staff have the physical competence to do exceptionally demanding work, especially that required in elite forces

In most occupations, people need a minimum of strength and aerobic fitness to do the job without breaking down, to do the job that normal fit and healthy people take in their stride. Even sitting on a chair all day requires a certain amount of fitness, without which, over the years and decades people become dysfunctional and in pain.

The Fit-for-Work tests

1.	LEG STRENGTH Squat - number of times you can squat down so your backside is close to your heels and stand-up (straight) in 90 seconds, or when you can't do any more. Start standing up.

2.	ABDOMINAL STRENGTH Situps - feet held - maximum consecutive number in 90 seconds - feet held, hands clasping opposite shoulders, coming up so elbows touch the knees, upper back (not head) hitting the ground.

3.	UPPER BODY STRENGTH Pressups - maximum consecutive number in 60 seconds - men on toes, women on knees.

4.	AEROBIC FITNESS 20m run How many times can you run between two lines 20m apart in 5 minutes. One foot must go beyond the line at the end of each lap

ADDITIONAL TESTS

Percent body fat

The gold standard for body composition is percent body fat. Theoretically, there is no need to measure how fat people are because generally speaking the fitter they are the closer they will be to their ideal weight. But having said that, it's a useful metric to include in the fit-for-work assessment.

Award	% body fat Men	% body fat Women
Platinum	<14	<24
Diamond	<16	<26
Emerald	<18	<28
Gold	<20	<30
Silver	<22	<32
Bronze	<24	<34
Green	<26	<36
Amber	<28	<38
Red	<30	<40
Black	>30	>40

Wrist, arm and shoulder strength

An additional test of strength, hanging from a bar may be useful, (particularly for elite forces.) Most people are unable to support their own weight for more than 10 seconds. A large proportion are unable to support their own weight at all, the last time they did so being when they were 10 years old. They then complain that the organisation they work for is responsible for their aching shoulders and wrists. That it should come to this.

	Award	Hang (seconds)
	Platinum	120
	Diamond	100
	Emerald	80
	Gold	60
	Silver	50
	Bronze	40
	Green	30
	Amber	20
	Red	10
	Black	<10

Flexibility

Two supplementary tests of flexibility will be useful to predict whether people are at risk of lower back pain.

- how close you can get to touching your toes with your wrists.

- whether you can sit up straight, with legs crossed and hands clasped behind your back.

If you fall backwards you score zero.

Fit-for-Work Award

Your award is based on the lowest score you achieve.

Level	Award	20m run		Pressups	Situps	Squats	Arm hang		Award
		Men	Women				Men	Women
10	Platinum	55	52	70	70	70	120	100
9	Diamond	53	49	60	60	60	100	80
8	Ruby	50	46	50	50	50	90	70
7	Emerald	45	43	40	40	40	80	60
6	Gold	40	38	30	30	30	60	50
5	Silver	37	36	25	25	25	50	40
4	Bronze	34	32	20	20	20	40	30
3	Green	30	28	15	15	15	30	20
2	Amber	25	24	10	10	10	20	15
1	Red	22	20	<10	<10	<10	10	10
0	Black	<22	<20	<5	<5	<5	<10	<10

Strength tests taken until exhaustion - without stopping. 20m run - laps in 5 minutes

THE FIT FOR WORK STANDARDS

The Fit-for-Work standards can be matched to suit the nature and demands of the job.

The gold standard is readily achievable by employees who have a regular aerobic fitness and strength training program.

The platinum award is readily achievable by people who are highly trained and in excellent physical condition, particularly people in elite forces. Having said that, it's a tough assignment.

Strength tests taken until exhaustion - without stopping. 20m run - laps in 5 minutes

THE FIT FOR WORK STANDARDS

The Fit-for-Work standards can be matched to suit the nature and demands of the job.

The gold standard is readily achievable by employees who have a regular aerobic fitness and strength training program.

The elite force, platinum award is readily achievable by people who are highly trained and in excellent physical condition.