Supporting worker safety and productivity in their roles
Fitness for work medicals ensure candidates are physically and psychological capable to meet the specific daily demands of their job. This assists in minimising injury risks and supporting long-term workforce health in line with Australian WHS standards. Happy Health can provide a generic or tailored evidence-based assessment to your industry and workplace needs, delivered on-site or in-clinic for efficiency.
Our health screening vans and visiting health professionals perform pre-employment medical tests in our Happy Health clinics.
What is a Fitness for Work Assessment?
A fitness for work assessment is an independent medicals review of a worker’s physical and psychological capacity in relation to the specific demand of their job. It includes:
- Medical history, current conditions, and ongoing treatment
- Functional capacity, medications, and known workplace hazards
- Work capacity reccommendations, risk, and support requirements
When to use a Fitness for Work Assessment
- Pre-placement or role change – to confirm suitability for physically or intellectually demanding roles
- Return-to-work – after injury, illness, or extended leave, to support safe and sustainable re-integration.
- Perform or safety concerns – when health related changes may be affecting behaviour, reliability, or ssafety.
- Hazard or role redesign – where new risks or modified duties may affect existing employees.
Benefits for Employers and Employees
For Employees
- Make more confident decisions about placement, redeployment, and return-to-work.
- Reduce risk of injury, liability, and operational disruption.
- Strengthen duty-fo-care and support compliance with WHS expectations.
For Employers:
- Access a fair, independent review of their capacity and support needs.
- Work in a role that aligns with their health and abilities, with clear pathways for adjustments and rehabilitation.
How Happy Health Delivers Fitness for Work Assessments
Happy Health conducts fitness for work assessments through a tailored, people-centred process.
- Assessments are led by qualified medical practitioners or occupational health professionals with workplace-health experience.
- We combine medical review, job task simulated functional testing (where relevant), and role-specific questions to mirror real-world job demands.
- Employers receive a concise, easy-to-use report, including work capacity recommendations and a version suitable for sharing with managers, while respecting employee privacy.
Frequently asked questions
Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about our pre-employment medical tests.
Who pays for pre-employment medicals?
Pre-employment medical tests are only eligible for Medicare benefits if the individual being tested is currently unemployed. Otherwise, as the requesting employer, you’re generally responsible for payment. However, these tests are cost-effective and an invaluable investment. They can minimise the risk of hiring a worker who is unable to perform the duties at hand safely and efficiently.
How long is a pre-employment medical assessment?
Depending on the role and your company and industry requirements, our assessment process can take between 1-2 hours. To confirm the exact duration, please get in touch with our team.
When will the health report be available?
We deliver detailed, quality-assured reports in just 2 days. If you’re 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 conduct a secondary appraisal to confirm the findings.
Why conduct pre-employment medicals?
Pre-employment medical identifies fitness for role-specific demands, prevents mismatches, and reduces future claims while promoting safety.
Are pre-employment medicals legally required?
Pre-employment medicals are not always mandatory, but essential for high-risk roles under WHS duty of care to assess inherent requirements.
What jobs typically need pre-placement medicals?
Manual handling, construction, mining, healthcare—any with physical, sensory, or safety-critical elements.
Is information kept confidential?
Yes—results shared only as needed for placement, per privacy laws.
