ABSTRACT
Assessment of physical performance has a historical base in the fields of exercise science, medical, psychology, and military and encompasses the academic areas of physiology, biomechanics, industrial engineering, applied psychology, and medicine. Organizations use physical performance tests for applicant selection, retention of incumbents, and evaluation of physical fitness levels. The job analysis—whether physical, cognitive, or psychomotor—involves three steps: job observations and interviews, identification of essential tasks, and identification of ergonomic and environmental conditions. Women being denied the opportunity to enter higher-paying trades and public safety jobs resulted greater scrutiny of selection procedures for arduous jobs. Job site visits involve interviews and observation of incumbents performing job tasks. Ergonomic, physiological, and biomechanical data, used separately or in combination, provide direct measures to quantify physical job demands. The American College of Sports Medicine classified the intensity of physical activity in terms of the percentage of maximum heart rate.
