Health assessments for Safer, Compliant Hiring
Our pre-employment medical test services go beyond standard screening. We look at each candidate’s baseline health, physical health and role suitability, so you can make informed decisions during the recruitment process.
Pre-employment medicals help identify potential health risks before a person starts work. This can support safer placements, reduce future workplace injuries and help your team build a stronger safety culture from day one.
Happy Health delivers pre-employment medical services on-site or in-clinic for greater efficiency. Our experienced team can support everything from a general assessment to a more comprehensive assessment, depending on the role, work environment and physical requirements involved.
Our health screening vans and visiting health professionals perform pre-employment medical tests through Happy Health clinics and workplace-based services. To discuss your needs or arrange a booking, enquire with Happy Health today.
Benefits for you and your employees
- Select more suitable candidates for demanding roles
- Make informed decisions on site placements and adjustments
- Support safer work across safety sensitive positions
- Assess whether candidates can safely perform essential functions
- Enhance overall physical health and workplace wellbeing
- Reduce injuries, downtime and workers’ compensation claims
- Support reducing workplace injuries through better early screening
- Provide clinician referrals where health concerns need further attention
- Meet legislative compliance requirements more efficiently
Standard tests included
- Comprehensive medical history review and questionnaire
- Review of past illnesses, current medications and relevant medical records
- Physical examination, including vital signs, BMI and range of motion
- Blood pressure, height and weight checks
- Vision and hearing tests
- Lung function test, also known as spirometry, to assess respiratory health
- Musculoskeletal evaluations for roles involving movement, manual work or heavy lifting
- Optional drug screening, alcohol testing, chest X-ray and blood tests
- Urine analysis or urine sample collection where required for workplace drug testing
Pre-employment and pre-placement medical testing process
- Questionnaire: Candidates complete a detailed health history form covering injuries, underlying health conditions, medications, lifestyle factors and past illnesses.
- Health Assessment: Registered practitioners conduct exams tailored to job duties. This may include lifting checks for manual roles, vision screening for operating machinery, or a lung function test for roles with potential respiratory exposure.
- Reporting: Confidential results are shared securely with employers, with clear fitness-for-duty recommendations. These results help employers understand the candidate’s ability to perform the role safely while respecting privacy regulations.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about our pre-employment medical tests.
What is a pre-employment medical?
A pre-employment medical is a health assessment used to help determine whether a candidate can safely meet the demands of a role.
It can support employers during the recruitment process by identifying health concerns, potential health risks and role-related limitations before work begins.
What is included in a pre-employment medical test?
A pre-employment medical test may include a medical history review, questionnaire, physical examination, blood pressure check, vision screening, hearing tests, lung function test and musculoskeletal assessment.
The specific tests included can vary depending on the job role, work environment and specific job requirements.
What is a pre-employment health check used for?
A pre-employment health check helps employers understand whether potential employees are physically and mentally fit for the role.
It can assess overall physical health, identify a health issue that may need follow-up and help reduce the risk of injuries once the person starts work.
Is a pre-employment medical examination the same as a pre-employment medical screening?
A pre-employment medical examination and pre-employment medical screening are often used to describe similar assessments.
Both help employers review a candidate’s health in relation to the job duties, physical requirements and essential functions of the role.
Do pre-employment medicals check for underlying health conditions?
Yes. A pre-employment medical may help identify underlying health conditions that could affect job performance or workplace safety.
Where a medical condition needs further attention, the candidate may be encouraged to seek medical care through their own doctor or general practitioners.
Can a pre-employment medical identify health problems early?
Yes. These assessments can support identifying previously unrecognised health problems before a candidate begins work.
This may include a health issue such as high blood pressure, reduced hearing, reduced lung function or other findings that require further review.
Why is blood pressure checked during a pre-employment medical?
Blood pressure is commonly checked because it can provide useful information about cardiovascular health.
If a reading suggests high blood pressure or possible high cholesterol risk, the candidate may be advised to seek follow-up medical care.
Can Happy Health assess respiratory health?
Yes. A lung function test can help assess respiratory health, particularly for roles where workers may be exposed to dust, fumes or other airborne hazards.
It may also help identify signs that need further review, including concerns that could relate to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
What is involved in a cardiovascular examination?
A cardiovascular examination may include checks such as blood pressure, pulse rate and rhythm and a review of relevant medical history.
These checks help assess whether a candidate may need further review before starting physically demanding work.
Does a pre-employment medical assess the central nervous system?
A pre-employment medical may include general observations and health questions that help identify issues requiring further review.
If a concern relating to the central nervous system is raised, the candidate may be referred for further medical assessment.
Can pre-employment medicals help reduce workplace injuries?
Yes. Pre-employment medicals support reducing workplace injuries by checking whether candidates can safely meet the physical and health demands of a role.
This is especially important for roles involving heavy lifting, operating machinery or safety-sensitive positions.
Are pre-employment medicals useful for safety-sensitive positions?
Yes. Pre-employment medicals are particularly useful for safety-sensitive positions where a worker’s health, concentration or physical capacity may affect their safety or the safety of others.
This can include roles involving operating machinery, driving, manual handling or high-risk environments.
Can a pre-employment medical assess colour blindness?
Yes, where relevant to the role.
Colour blindness screening may be included for positions where colour recognition is important for safety, signalling, equipment use or task accuracy.
What is urine analysis used for?
Urine analysis may provide valuable insights into a person’s general health and may be included where required as part of an occupational health assessment or drug screening process.
A urine sample may be collected for testing when it is relevant to the role, employer policy or workplace risk profile.
Does Happy Health provide alcohol testing?
Yes. Alcohol testing may be included as part of occupational health services where required by the employer, role or workplace policy.
This helps support safer workplaces and clearer risk management.
Do all candidates complete the same assessment?
No. Assessment components vary depending on the role, industry and workplace hazards.
A warehouse role may need heavy lifting checks, while a role in a noisy environment may need a hearing test.
Is information kept confidential?
Yes. Happy Health handles medical records and assessment outcomes in line with privacy laws and medical confidentiality requirements.
Employers receive relevant fitness-for-work information, not unnecessary personal medical details.
Who pays for pre-employment medicals?
In most cases, the employer requesting the pre-employment medical is responsible for payment.
Pre-employment medicals are usually arranged to assess whether a candidate can safely perform the requirements of a specific role. If the assessment identifies a genuine health issue that needs follow-up, the candidate may be referred to their own GP or treating health professional. Any follow-up care would be managed separately from the pre-employment medical.
These assessments are a practical investment in safer hiring. They can help reduce the risk of placing a worker in a role they cannot safely or efficiently perform.
How long does a pre-employment medical assessment take?
The length of a pre-employment medical can vary depending on the role, industry and your company’s requirements.
Most assessments take between one and two hours. To confirm the expected duration for your workplace, please contact the Happy Health team.
When will the health report be available?
We deliver detailed, quality-assured reports in just two days. If you are under pressure to secure a hire, we also offer a fast-tracked reporting service that delivers findings within 24 hours.
As soon as the medical is complete, we send you the initial results while we complete a secondary appraisal to confirm the findings.
Are pre-employment medicals legally required?
Pre-employment medicals are not always a legal requirement.
However, they are often essential for high-risk roles where employers need to assess inherent requirements and meet their duty of care under WHS obligations.
What jobs typically need pre-placement medicals?
Pre-placement medicals are commonly used for roles involving manual handling, construction, mining, healthcare, transport and safety-critical work.
They are also useful for roles with physical, sensory or environmental demands.
Can Happy Health support both pre-employment and ongoing occupational health?
Yes. Happy Health provides occupational health services that support workers from recruitment through to ongoing monitoring.
This can include pre-employment medicals, periodic health checks, hearing tests, lung function testing, workplace drug and alcohol screening, and health surveillance where required.
What should employers do if a candidate needs follow-up care?
If a candidate’s assessment identifies a health concern, Happy Health may recommend follow-up with the person’s treating doctor or general practitioners.
This helps the candidate access appropriate medical care while giving the employer clear fitness-for-work guidance.
How can employers book a pre-employment check-up?
Employers can contact Happy Health to discuss their workforce needs, role risks and preferred assessment process.
Our team can recommend the right pre-employment check-up for your workplace and help arrange a smooth booking process.
Why choose Happy Health for pre-employment medicals?
Happy Health combines an experienced team, practical reporting and flexible delivery options to help employers make safer workforce decisions.
Our assessments are tailored to the role, workplace and industry, so you receive relevant results that support both compliance and performance.
