Documentation of Muscularly Demanding Job Tasks and Validation of an Occupational Strength Test Battery (STB)

Abstract : Many shipboard duties and the specific duties of some Navy jobs require great physical strength. However, Navy enlisted selection and classification decisions do not presently take these strength requirements into account. Without methods to measure the physical ability of men and women to perform to specified strength standards, personnel may be assigned to jobs in which they cannot fully perform all tasks, or they may risk injury by attempting tasks beyond their strength. The objectives of this research were to (1) identify muscularly-demanding tasks, (2) develop a procedure to identify particular tasks and their performance measures as criteria for validation of a basic strength test battery (STB), (3) develop a procedure to determine task performance standards, and (4) develop a procedure to determine the percentage of men or women excluded by these standards from entering a given muscularly demanding job. Recommendations and conclusions are listed.