A System for Establishing Occupationally-Related Gender-Free Physical Fitness Standards
Abstract
The Army's desire to utilize greater numbers of women in physically demanding, non-traditional occupations has created the need to match individual capacities with occupational demands. Research has been conducted to develop a process by which objectively determined physical demands of MOSs can be converted into gender-free physical fitness standards. These standards could then be used both for MOS assignment qualification as well as assuring maintenance of fitness commensurate with job demands. The process was initiated by compiling individual task lists from which cluster of MOSs were formed of those with similar physical demands. The most demanding MOS tasks within each cluster were then measured for their actual physiological cost, force required and/or energy expended, with these costs then being converted into equivalent physiological capacities. These capacities were express in terms of muscle strength and aerobic power (stamina) which can be assessed at the time of entrance into the service as well as during periodic on-the-job evaluations. This research has resulted in the derivation of five sets of standards, encompassing three levels of demand within two categories of fitness (strength and stamina). The process describes a system by which physically demanding occupations can be assigned on a gender-free basis which will be scientifically defensible. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Apr 01, 1980
- Accession Number
- ADA094518
Entities
People
- James A. Vogel
- James Dawson
- James E. Wright
- John F. Patton Iii
- Mary Pat Eschenback
Organizations
- United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine