The world has changed quite a bit in recent years. The old-fashioned factory worker of yesteryear is no longer the norm, and companies are looking for new ways to keep their workers happy and healthy. With a variety of factors to consider, it can be difficult for managers to make the right decisions about their employees’ health.

The U.S. employs over 300,000 workers in the manufacturing industry. Of course, not all of these workers have the best health conditions. That results in a drop in performance in the factories, which eventually leads to losses. Thus, it’s vital that businesses are aware of a person’s health conditions before hiring them in their factories. 

That’s why we’ve put together a list of five health factors that every company should look into before hiring a new factory worker.

#1 Drug Abuse

Under the influence of drugs, your factory workers might end up damaging factory property like equipment or resources. They might even end up harming others. Thus, drug testing is vital before you hire new workers.

There are local health facilities in every state that can help you out in this regard. For instance, let’s say you run a small factory somewhere in Las Vegas. Thus, you can look for a facility that provides ATI drug testing in Las Vegas and get your employees tested there. These facilities have high-end equipment and are government-authorized. You don’t have to worry about the service quality at these facilities.

Drug abuse kills over 100,000 every year in the United States. Since 1999, drug abuse has killed over a million people in this country. Thus, this problem won’t just cause trouble for your business and workers’ performances. It might even end your workers’ lives. Therefore, it’s vital that you take all the necessary means to prevent drug abuse in your factory.

#2 Sleep patterns

A lack of sleep can affect a factory worker’s performance, and it may be difficult to know if an employee is getting enough rest. One way to ensure that your new workers are getting enough sleep is by monitoring their work schedules. If employees are working night shifts, for example, it’s important to find out how much time they spend sleeping during the day.

Another tactic involves talking with the candidate about his or her sleeping habits and asking them what they do when they need to catch up on sleep. For instance, some people prefer taking naps during the day, while others take a quick shower before bedtime so they can fall asleep faster at night. 

Getting more information about this aspect of their lives will help you determine whether your candidate is truly committed to improving their sleep patterns or if there could be other issues at play here as well.

#3 Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is a major deciding factor for many companies when hiring new factory workers. Workers with high blood pressure might not be able to take the stress of working at a factory. They might even fail to work night shifts if that’s required of them. Besides, people with high blood pressure are also likely to suffer from other health conditions, such as heart problems. Thus, you must be aware of whether or not they have this problem before hiring them.

In 2020, around 700,000 people in the U.S. died because of hypertension (either as a primary or as a contributing cause). Thus, it’s evident that fluctuations in blood pressure are a serious health problem. You can’t neglect this condition when hiring new workers for your factory since the working conditions in such places are usually very stressful and can worsen their pre-existing blood pressure problems.  

#4 Eyesight

A person with poor eyesight will not be able to complete the tasks of a factory worker. When looking for new employees, you should make sure that each candidate has a 20/20 vision.

With 20/20 vision, a person can read an eye chart from twenty feet away with each eye individually. A person who needs glasses to see clearly at any distance also meets this requirement and should be hired as long as they wear their glasses while on the job.

If an applicant fails any part of this test, they are typically disqualified from employment because they pose too much danger to themselves and others when operating machinery or handling chemicals in a factory. However, employees who fail due to astigmatism or other conditions requiring treatment may still be considered for employment if they agree to undergo treatment before starting work for you.

#5 Physical fitness

When it comes to physical fitness, your new employee must be able to do their job. A good way to assess their ability is by making them complete some sort of physical task. If they are unable to complete the task, you may want to reconsider hiring them.

If you find that a candidate is unfit for the job, you should let them know this before offering employment or an interview. This could save everyone time and money in the long run by ensuring only those who are physically capable of doing the job will be hired.

A healthy workforce is one of the most important factors to consider when hiring a new factory worker. A company’s bottom line depends on how productive its workers are and how much money they make. 

By making sure that each person you hire is in good health, you can introduce less stress into your organization and reduce costs for medical care. You’ll also be able to focus more on production rather than worrying about getting sick employees back from sick days or other medical emergencies.