Occupational Health Screening Providers: What to Look For

Safety and productivity are two key measures of your organization’s success, and your employees’ safety plays a large role in those metrics. This makes occupational health screening a crucial part of your overall screening solution.

Making sure team members are fit for their roles helps you safeguard your workplace and better manage compliance requirements. And with the changing regulations and workforce expectations of today’s employment landscape, choosing a screening provider is one of the most consequential decisions you can make as an employer.

In this article, we’ll discuss what occupational health screening entails and what to look for when selecting a provider to perform this important work.

What is occupational health screening?

Simply put, occupational health screening helps you maintain a safe work environment, facilitate optimal employee safety, and meet regulatory requirements. These assessments evaluate medical status, physical capabilities, vaccination history, substance use, and other health factors that may affect workplace safety and performance. They help identify job-related health risks, provide guidance and education for both employees and supervisors, and equip employers with the resources needed to support workforce safety while maintaining compliance.

A wide range of screening types falls under the occupational health umbrella:

The benefits of occupational health screening

Screening for conditions related to occupational health provides several benefits. Aligning someone’s physical abilities with job requirements can help prevent injury and accidents in the workplace. Routine screenings can also provide early detection of hearing deficiency, respiratory issues, exposure to hazardous materials, and other potentially dangerous health conditions. Additionally, a healthy workforce typically has reduced absentee and turnover rates — enhancing stability at your organization.

Occupational health screening also helps support compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and other federal and state agencies. Compliance violations are often costly; OSHA penalties can be as high as $16,500 per violation for serious issues¹. So a robust solution that covers all aspects of compliance is vital to financial stewardship.

The characteristics of a quality provider

An occupational health screening provider should have several key attributes that attest to the company’s expertise, abilities, technology, and reach.

A wide range of services and industries

For many organizations, occupational health screening needs go beyond a few basic concerns. A large healthcare facility, for instance, would likely have multiple needs, including (but not limited to):

• Screening for TB and titers for immunity to other infectious diseases
• Physical screens to check ability to move patents or heavy equipment
• Respirator fit testing for facilities maintenance personnel
• Drug screening (especially if the position has access to pharmaceuticals or narcotics)

Make sure the provider has an extensive list of screening and monitoring services, along with experience in your industry so they’re aware of your unique screening needs and regulations. For example, First Advantage provides over 1300 specific drug and occupational health screening services to fit small, medium, and enterprise companies in nearly every industry.

A larger provider with a wide selection is better equipped to meet your needs or scale as you grow. It’s also more likely to have a Medical Review Officer available to evaluate drug screenings to validate results. Look for providers with quality assurance processes, medical review expertise, electronic chain-of-custody procedures, and standardized workflows designed to help promote consistency.

Technology that facilitates smooth, secure processes

Excessive paperwork can bog down the screening process at every stage and introduces greater potential for human error. Technology can improve efficiency and consistency in several ways, providing protection and peace of mind for companies and candidates.

Look for a provider that utilizes technology to provide faster, more consistent results and a less stressful experience for you and your employees or candidates. Ask about average turnaround times, digital scheduling capabilities, status visibility, and methods for reducing delays in the screening process.

Expansive screening site networks

Imagine a job candidate needs to undergo a drug and alcohol screen, and the closest relevant facility is nearly 100 miles away. Having to schedule a longer trip increases the chances of a delay — or the employer might lose the candidate altogether if transportation is an issue.

Companies can mitigate this issue by making sure a provider has a large number of screening sites and multiple networks. First Advantage has 23,000+ screening locations nationwide, and 97% of U.S. adults live within 20 miles of an available site. A provider with large site networks means candidates are more likely to have a suitable location nearby to easily continue the hiring process. This in turn reduces the time from offer acceptance to the first day on the job, saving companies valuable work hours.

Ease of registration and use

Few things are more frustrating than a screening process with too many steps, multiple platforms, or an interface that doesn’t work well on a cell phone. The best solutions provide a simpler, more user-friendly process for companies and candidates. This means a centralized, end-to-end screening solution, with digital automation, ATS and HCM integrations (like the 100+ integration options offered by First Advantage), and an intuitive interface that works on both PC and mobile screens.

Dedicated, knowledgeable, personalized support

Even with the best screening systems, companies and candidates will occasionally need guidance. A strong screening provider should have dedicated support (via both live assistance and on demand resources) and account management that works in partnership with customers to create and maintain solutions that work optimally for them.

Concierge service is also a worthy feature to consider. Occupational health screening involves countless individual efforts, like collecting data, tracking results, informing candidates and employees, answering questions, etc. A delay in just one part of the process could spur a frustrating candidate experience or an otherwise negative result. A provider offering concierge services will handle all the details, taking the pressure off employers for follow-up and records coordination.

Finding a Screening Provider That Fits

Occupational health screening providers aren’t a one-product-fits-all choice. When considering a company, look for how their technology, service variety, expertise, and user experience measure up. Weigh criteria such as clinical fit, turnaround times, data security, site access, total cost, and ongoing support. Then factor in what matters most to your organization.

A leading global screening provider, First Advantage provides solutions that help organizations of all sizes and industries build workforce trust by making hiring more efficient and mitigating risk. Contact us to request a demo.

Frequently Asked Questions