Occupational Fitness and Selection Standards

Optimal Performance Limited (OPL) is a world leader in the development of legally defensible occupational fitness tests and physical selection standards. Physical fitness and selection tests are vital to ensure the capabilities of a worker match the physical requirements of their occupational role.

We developed the current British Army physical selection standards for Regular and Territorial Army applicants and are currently working with the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst to devise fitness tests for potential Officers. We have worked with the Royal Air Force (RAF) to produce job simulations and gymnasium based fitness tests to measure the physical capabilities of ground trade personnel prior to operational deployment.

OPL has produced and assisted in the implementation of National Fire Fighter Selection Tests, whereby the company led on the physical aspects of the project and collaborated with partners to develop psychological selection tests. Our consultants have worked with the Department of Health to establish physical selection standards for Ambulance personnel operating in urban search and rescue scenarios. We conducted a series of job analyses and developed role related physical tests for the Police Service of Northern Ireland.

OPL have provided consultancy to the Australian Armed Forces in development of their physical selection tests. As part of our ongoing contract with the UAE Armed Forces we have been working to set physical and medical standards for potential students attending the UAE Military High School in Al Ain.

Our capabilities in this area include:

  • Analysis of the physical requirements of occupational roles
  • Development of role related physical tests
  • Development of realistic scenarios, deployments and job simulations
  • Statistical modelling which links physically demanding occupational tasks (e.g. marching with a heavy backpack) or job simulations to individual fitness measures (e.g. aerobic/anaerobic fitness, strength and agility)
  • Identifying medical screening criteria for occupational roles
  • Statistical modelling to predict an applicants’ chance of success on a training course

Example Occupational Fitness and Selection Standards projects:

Blacker SD, Wilkinson DM and Rayson MP. (2010) Development of Physical Selection Standards for Territorial Army Recruits [PSS(TA)]. Optimal Performance Ltd., Bristol, UK. Report OPL/10/11, 27 September 2010

Rayson MP and Richmond VL. (2007) Development of Physical Selection Standards for Ambulance Personnel Operating in Urban Search and Rescue Scenarios. Optimal Performance Ltd., Bristol, UK, January 2007

Rayson MP and Richmond VL. (2007) Review and Validation of the Police Service of Northern Ireland Physical Competence Assessment. Optimal Performance Ltd., Bristol, UK, January 2007

Rayson MP, Wilkinson DM, Richmond VL, Blacker SD, Carter JM. (2006) A Comparison of Firefighter Physical Fitness Tests. Optimal Performance Ltd., Bristol, UK, 25 May 2006

Rayson MP, Wilkinson DM, Carter J, Richmond V, Blacker S. (2005) An Operational Fitness Assessment for the Royal Air Force. Optimal Performance Ltd., Bristol, UK, 28 June 2005

Cook R, Rayson MP, Fothergill E, Wilkinson DM and Lawton D. (2002) A national selection system for the Fire Service: Review of the selection criteria and the Implementation Working Group package. Technical Report to the DTLR. Optimal Performance Limited, Farnham, UK, 3 May 2002

Rayson MP, Wilkinson DM & Nevill AM. (2002) Physical Selection Standards for Single Entry Recruits: Development and Validation Study. Technical Report to DI Trg Pol(A). Optimal Performance Limited, Farnham, UK, 1 May 2002

Optimal Performance Ltd. (1997) Physical Selection for the Police. A discussion paper for the Police Federation. Optimal Performance Ltd., Farnham, UK, July 1997

Optimal Performance Ltd. (1997) Validation of Physical Selection Standards for Recruits (PSS(R)). Technical Report 19, Optimal Performance Ltd., Farnham, UK, September 1997