Optimal Performance

OPL cited in the Winsor Report on Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions

SamBlacker — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:59:20 +0000

Optimal Performance Limited submitted a contribution to the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions, by Thomas Winsor. OPL’s letter conveyed our expert opinion of occupational fitness standards, with particular reference to our work with the Police Service for Northern Ireland in developing fitness tests and setting standards for their personnel.

Our comments were summarised on page 232 of the report as follows:

Optimal Performance, a consultancy firm which provides advice on the improvement of health and fitness of persons in physically demanding occupations, made representations to the review. It states that as aerobic fitness, strength and endurance all reduce with age, and that as this decline can be reversed or reduced with exercise, it is essential to test officers regularly throughout their careers to demonstrate that they still have the minimum capability to do their jobs. It also argues that forces have a duty of care to their officers to ensure they can discharge their duties safely and effectively. It suggests that the current aerobic fitness standard (as measured by the shuttle run at level 5:4) appears “very low for an individual employed in a physically demanding occupation”. It recognises that other considerations, such as avoiding indirect discrimination and meeting staffing targets, may have led to the establishment of this standard, but argues that these should not determine the fitness standard. It says that the standard should be based on the requirements of the police officer role.

For full details and to download the full version of the Independent Review of Police Officer and Staff Remuneration and Conditions please visit http://review.police.uk/

UAE Armed Forces expands OPL fitness initiatives

SamBlacker — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:40:38 +0000

Following the successful conclusion of OPL’s 4 year contract for the UAE Armed Forces to put health and fitness of military students attending the Military High School in Al Ain at the top of the agenda, the UAE Armed Forces has expanded the service to all GHQ and Presidential Guard training establishments. The Military High School has been the flagship for these initiatives, and year-on-year improvements in the students, health, fitness and performance, has provided the evidence needed for GHQ to endorse the expansion of the project. Over the last 4 years the Centre has grown from being staffed initially by a small group of OPL health professionals to a team of over 50, including many Emiratis. Our congratulations go to the UAE Armed Forces for embracing this project and placing the health and fitness of their personnel at the heart of their policies.

OPL present at the Nuclear Industry Innovation in Resilience’ Conference

SamBlacker — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:37:55 +0000

Victoria Richmond from Optimal Performance Limited (OPL) presented at the ‘Innovation in Resilience’ Conference in Manchester, which focused on new concepts and protective equipment relevant to the Nuclear Industry. She presented on the physical demands associated with working in harsh environments, wearing protective clothing.

See other pages on our website to learn more about our work with the Nuclear Industry and human performance in CBRN clothing.

OPL completes study with Saab Group and the British Army in Kenya

SamBlacker — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:37:07 +0000

OPL has just completed a physiology monitoring trial in Kenya with the British Army and Saab Group trialling a new targetry and soldier tracking system.

For more details about this work please contact us.

OPL publish article in the Defence Management Journal on scientific support of military personnel

SamBlacker — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 10:29:21 +0000

Optimal Performance Limited (OPL) had an article on providing scientific support and research to enhance the physical performance of military personnel published in the Spring 2012 issue of the Defence Management Journal. The article outlined how OPL has developed pre-selection and pre-deployment physical fitness tests for several military and emergency service groups, and how they have provided evidence-based solutions for optimising training and enhancing physical capability, health and performance.

A copy of the article is free to download from our website (OPL DMJ Article)

OPL publish paper comparing the physical demands of British Army training for male and female recruits

SamBlacker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:27:03 +0000

Victoria Richmond, together with colleagues from OPL and Antony Wright from the MRC (Cambridge), has had a paper on the Comparison of the Physical Demands of Single-sex Training for Male and Female Recruits in the British Army accepted for publication...Read More

OPL to present at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference in San Francisco

SamBlacker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:26:09 +0000

Dr Sam Blacker has had an abstract accepted for presentation at the American College of Sports Medicine Annual Conference in San Francisco from 29^th May to 2^nd June. The work describes a method for improving the estimation of energy expenditure with accelerometers during military training using a field-based calibration procedure. Sam will also attend the Occupational Physiology Interest Group, in which OPL has been a key player for over a decade.

OPL invited by the Emirates National Oil Company to present at an Occupational Health (Heat Stress) Management Workshop

SamBlacker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:24:57 +0000

At the invitation of the Emirates National Oil Company, Dr Mark Rayson was a speaker at a Joint Industry Best Practices Sharing Workshop held on 8^th March 2012, at the Al Mooroj Rotana Hotel in Bur Dubai. The event was an Occupational Health (Heat Stress) Management Workshop attended by a number of industries in the UAE. Mark spoke on two topics – the Prevention of Heat Illness and the Measurement of Hydration and Heat Stress.

OPL complete study at the National Defence University of Malaysia

SamBlacker — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 10:24:10 +0000

Cadets undertaking their daily physical training at the NDU, supervised by physical training instructors.

OPL has completed an observational health study assessing training at the National Defence University of Malaysia with our partners Charismatic Consultancy. Dr David Wilkinson and Dr Sam Blacker lead the study. Dr Mark Rayson presented the findings to the NDUM senior management who are proposing to form a committee to examine the report findings and recommendations prior to implementation of various health and fitness interventions.

Research undertaken by OPL to be presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference 2012.

SamBlacker — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:42:02 +0000

Tom Loney is presenting research at the American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference 2012 which was undertaken as part of OPL’s work programme at the Health and Sports Medicine Centre (HSMC) in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The study evaluated the predictive utility of urine colour to estimate urine osmolality in Army cadets from the United Arab Emirates and assess the effectiveness of educating a sub-sample of cadets to self-monitor hydration status.

Tom formerly worked for OPL and is now an Assistant Professor in the Department of Community Medicine at the United Arab Emirates University.

Loney T1, Carter JM2, Scullion, LJ2, Nicholson, GF2, Al Shehhi M3 Urine color is an effective biomarker for self-monitoring hydration status in Army Cadets from the United Arab Emirates. To be presented at the American Industrial Hygiene Association Conference 2012.

1Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

2Optimal Performance Limited, Bristol, United Kingdom.

3United Arab Emirates Armed Forces, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.