TB skin tests are often required as a condition of employment for workers in high risk settings such as schools, hospitals, prisons, and long-term care facilities and hospitals. They’re also highly recommended for anyone who has been exposed to someone with tuberculosis, or for people who are traveling overseas. But many people have questions about the testing procedures, as well as the symptoms of an infection. Here are a few frequently asked questions about TB skin testing.
As an employer, you always have a fiduciary duty to protect your personnel and assets. You already understand the importance of having a drug-free workplace and conducting pre-employment drug screenings for new hires, and in some professions you might also need your new hires to undergo a physical examination. If the job is physically demanding, you have to make sure that your new hires are up to the task. You also need to know if you’re inheriting any former injuries with your new personnel. Even if those old injuries don’t substantially affect the staff member’s ability to do the job, you’ll definitely want to know about them to protect your exposure to a workers’ compensation claim.
Worker’s compensation insurance is an important part of ensuring a safe working environment. It provides relief to workers who are involved in workplace accidents, and it protects your business from lost productivity. But worker’s compensation claims are expensive, and as an employer you owe it to yourself to make sure that your employees are physically up to the job.
There’s nothing quite like making a great new hire, and that’s never been as true as it is right now! It was already hard enough to find good people before the pandemic, but employers must now often limit their hours and services until they get fully staffed.