Physical Demands Analysis Project Up and Running – Employers Sign Up Requested

Since our February 24, 2020 article, ACA has recruited a number of employers, who receive their own specific PDA as well as an industry-generic PDA for the specific trade / occupation. 

Please contact andrew@andrewgibson.ca to participate.

ACA has received funding from the Workers Compensation Board to coordinate the development of Physical Demands Analysis (PDAs) for trades occupations involved in construction.

PDA is a breakdown of every task performed for each position, the time spent on each task, and every fitness related hazard associated with that task. PDAs help to fairly and accurately determine the physical requirement needed for a worker to safely perform specific tasks.  These assessments help employers assign the right resource to the right job and reduce the time needed to safely return an injured worker back to work.  Employers will no longer have to incur the expense of developing a PDA when required by the WCB, by using the ACA PDA as an industry standard.

“Use the physical demands analysis in your organization to reduce the risk of injury and identify appropriate return-to-work options. Share the physical demands analysis with health care professionals and/or claim owners to help recovery, return to work and minimize costs,” WCB Alberta.

“The PDAs will assist occupational health and safety staff, physical/occupational therapists, physicians and rehabilitation counselors to work with management and workers to enable injured workers to return to their jobs or find suitable alternative jobs. It will also provide a good starting point for the development of a formal Disability Management program,” Work Safe BC.

For an aging workforce, a Physical Demand Analysis can identify risks and help avoid severe injury.

The Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) developed PDAs for industrial construction occupations in August 2015 with funding from a WCB special industry dividend. This work was completed with significant funds remaining. These funds have been made available to expand the development of PDAs to more construction occupations.

PDAs are completed by a qualified professional (physiotherapist, occupational therapist, kinesiologist, ergonomist) on the job site, typically requiring 4-8 hours depending on the job.

ACA has recruited Lifemark to conduct PDAs on jobsites beginning March 2020.  Lifemark has staff able to conduct PDAs in many locations across Alberta.

ACA is seeking to develop PDAs for virtually every trade or occupation employed in commercial or residential construction.  You will receive a confidential PDA specific to your job site as well as the generic PDA for that trade or occupation.

You can contribute to this project by offering your jobsite and personnel.  Jobsites within the Edmonton to Calgary corridor are preferred.  Multiple assessments on the same jobsite will preserve funding to cover more occupations.

During cold weather, assessments for indoor occupations are preferred.

To participate, please contact Project Manager Andrew Gibson, Andrew@andrewgibson.ca ; 780-405-9854 with occupations; jobsite location, and preferred dates for site visit.