Prepared by the Medical Division and by Regional Medical to the Medical Director SECOND EDITION – JULY 1943 UNITED STATES WASHINGTON: 1943 HD A45 1943 ACKNOWLEDGMENT The Commission wishes to express its gratitude to commanding officers, appointing officials, medical officers, safety engineers, foremen, and supervisors in the various shore establishments of the Navy Department and in the field establishments of the War Department and other agencies for the assistance which they gave to the Commission's regional medical officers. The cooperation of these officials made possible the accumulation of the information contained in this manual. Kosmichell HARRY B. MITCHELL, President. (II) INTRODUCTION This manual is the current product of the first study of its kind by medicallytrained personnel endeavoring to standardize minimum physical requirements necessary for various positions in the Federal civil service. The information was obtained for two major purposes: 1. To utilize in a judicious manner the services of the physically handicapped in Government service, with a view to compensating for labor shortages. 2. To obtain experience in the placement of the physically handicapped which can be used for the benefit of disabled veterans and industrial workers during and after the war. Within the past 30 years physical standards for employment have experienced two extremes. During the First World War and the period immediately preceding it, the standards allowed the employment of many persons who were unjustifiable industrial risks. Since the First World War, the pendulum has swung to the opposite extreme. Physical requirements have developed which have not always been justifiable from the point of view of efficiency and safety. The Commission's survey is an attempt to effect a balance in standards, and to render the preemployment examination an instrument for placement. The surveys were not made by industrial specialists, but by regional medical officers of the Commission. Their decisions were based mainly upon objective studies. For collateral information, the medical officers depended, to a considerable degree, upon safety engineers, medical advisors, foremen, and supervisors in the establishments which they visited. Figure 1 represents the job analysis form used in studying each position. The form is divided into three major parts: 1. Functional factors of the position. 2. Environmental factors of the position. 3. The résumé or recommendations of the medical officer making the survey as to minimum physical requirements necessary to perform the duties of the position. Supplementary information, such as comments by supervisors, foremen, safety engineers, and medical advisors, is provided for under "Remarks." The The surveys represented the first major phase of the research program. second phase consisted of an evaluation of the reports submitted by the regional medical officers on the basis of certain fundamental principles devised by the Medical Division of the Commission for placement. These were designed to eliminate inconsistencies and discrepancies and also to treat the medical technical aspect of the subject of placement in detail. The information contained in the manual will be subject to revision from time to time, to provide for new positions which are found to have placement potentialities, and also to bring the contents into accord with changes in industrial practices and in conditions of the labor market. Revisions will be based upon recommendations by vocational training agencies, observations of the regional medical officers, and suggestions of management. This edition of the manual contains a consideration of approximate y 2,000 positions in 105 governmental establishments and in private establishments holding Government contracts. The coverage has a wide geographical range and includes practically all the important governmental industrial establishments. The positions studied actually represent many thousands of positions. The processing, of all the factors to be considered in utilizing information obtained on surveys involved establishing a disability code, a code for regions and particular establishments and also occupational codes of positions wherever possible according to the United States Employment Service Dictionary of Occupational Titles. By this system of processing the information was subdivided according to civil-service regions, particular types of Government industry, considerations as to specific types of defects, and addendum sentences applicable to the positions listed in the manual. |