AÂ Job Dictionary or Job Task Analysis profiles the specific tasks associated with a role and identifies the potential risks. It provides objective information, which can be used by either an employer, or medical / allied health professional, to understand the physical and psychological requirements of a role. Thorough documentation of these requirements helps to reduce workplace injuries.
Our Job Dictionaries are a valuable resource that will:
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- Ensure your Pre-Employment Assessments are based on real and objective data, aimed at mitigating preventable workplace injuries.
- Make developing Suitable Duties Plans for injured workers easier with clearer information on the specific duties an employee can perform.
- If injury occurs, allow medical / allied health professionals to make informed decisions, and tailor quantifiable programs to facilitate an early and sustainable return to work.
- Inform targeted injury prevention initiatives based on job role risk(s).
By having thorough and clear documentation outlining the best practice approach to physical tasks and recommendations for minimising the psychological impact of cognitive tasks, companies can reduce injury rates, assist with injury management and return to work programs, and aid in the development of pre-employment testing.
KINNECT will assess each role in your organisation and develop documentation based on best practice to minimise harm when performing tasks.
How it Works
Once the relevant roles for analysis have been determined and agreed upon, KINNECT clinicians undertake a two-step process to create job dictionaries.
1. Onsite Task Evaluation
The clinician will visit the workplace to review job descriptions, interview and observe workers to ascertain the specific job demands for the tasks performed. They take measurements such as weights, heights, forces, durations and repetitions, collate data and take photographs for inclusion in the final job dictionary.
2. Create Job Dictionary
The clinician will review information gathered during the site visit, prepare each job task analysis and create the role’s ‘suitable duties checklist’ which summarises the duties which might be appropriate for a worker should they sustain an injury.
They’ll then prepare relevant hard copies and digital copies of the job dictionary with photos of the site-specific job demands to ensure the document is accurate and usable.
The depth and detail provided in the job dictionary can be delivered on two different levels, depending on your needs:
Basic Job Dictionary
This level is best for standard, routine, or low-to-moderate risk positions and includes:
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A brief 2-page report
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A brief summary of key tasks and the physical requirements of each task
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Photos of some tasks for ease of reference
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A suitable duties checklist
Learn More About Basic Job Dictionaries
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Concise Functional Snapshot: Summarises primary physical movements like sitting, standing, walking, and light lifting.
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Visual Summary Tables:Â Uses easy-to-understand frequency ratings (rare to constant) and postural icons to convey essential job demands quickly.
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Job Suitability Assessment: Includes a practical yes/no checklist for typical job tasks.
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Equipment & Shift Info Included:Â Clearly outlines uniform/PPE requirements and shift patterns to guide practical workplace planning.
Comprehensive Job Dictionary
This level is ideal for high-risk, complex, or operationally demanding roles and includes:
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An in-depth multi-page report
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A breakdown of individual tasks and the physical requirements of each task
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Photos of all tasks for ease of reference
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A suitable duties checklist
Learn More About Comprehensive Job Dictionaries
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Detailed Functional Breakdown: Captures exact postural requirements, lifting capacities, reach distances, and movement patterns (e.g., squatting, climbing, trunk twisting).
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Job-Specific Task Analysis: Breaks down common and critical tasks (e.g., setting up work zones, debris removal, refuelling) into task frequency and required physical capacities.
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Environmental & PPE Contextualization: Highlights real-world working conditions, including sun, heat, dust, noise, and terrain, paired with appropriate PPE like hi-vis clothing, gloves, and safety boots.
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Enables precise injury prevention planning
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Informs fitness-for-duty and return-to-work decisions
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Supports accurate task matching during rehabilitation
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Facilitates compliance with workplace safety and documentation standards
What Information is Captured?
General:
- A description of the role being assessed
- Duties performed as part of the role
- Rostered days of work, duration and time of shifts, and number and duration of allocated breaks
- Equipment and tools used
- Uniform / PPE worn
- Environmental factors that workers are exposed to (i.e. air conditioning, sun, wind, insects / animals, dust, noise, vibration)
Psychological:
- Periods of time where concentration is requiredÂ
- Need for attention to detailÂ
- Time pressuresÂ
- Whether multi-tasking is requiredÂ
- If supervision of others is required and if so, how manyÂ
- Decision making requirements and impactsÂ
- Other cognitive demands of the roleÂ
Physical:
- Postures and functional demands required to perform the role
- How often each functional demand is performed (frequency)
- How long the functional demand is required to be done for (duration)
- Repetitive tasks or movements (repetition)
- The number of workers required to perform the task (i.e. team lifts)
- Weights and measurements of objects required to be lifted / carried
- The forces involved (i.e. pushing / pulling)
- Surfaces and terrain of the workplace
- A detailed list of the critical functional job demands, inclusive of photographs (comprehensive versions only)
What Factors do we Assess?
Physical Postures & Movements
- Dynamic and static standing
- Walking and sitting
- Prone / supine / side lying
- Forwards bending
- Trunk twisting and lateral trunk flexion
- Forward and overhead reaching
- Squatting and kneeling
- Static neck postures and dynamic neck movements
- Crawling
- Stair and ladder climbing
- Gripping and dexterity of the hands / fingers
- Foot movement
- Weighted lifting from floor to waist height, waist to shoulder height and overhead
- Bilateral and unilateral carrying
- Pushing and pulling
Load and Force in the Workplace
As part of analysing and documenting load and force that workers are subject to, KINNECT takes into account the load location and the distance the load is being moved, as well as what forces are involved to move the load, how difficult the load is to move, the number of people involved to move the load, the size and shape of the load, it’s surface (i.e. wet, slippery, greasy) and how it can be gripped (i.e. bilaterally, unilaterally, handles).
Management of the Work Environment
Managing the work environment is a very effective way of ensuring the safety of workers and promoting safe work conditions. When looking at work environments, KINNECT takes into account busy periods when workers may have difficulty keeping up with the demands of a role with little or no recovery periods. We also assess the availability of additional help if team lifting is required, if floor surfaces are slippery or uneven, if there are different levels in the work area, if there is inadequate lighting and if appropriate PPE (personal protective equipment) is available.
From a psychological perspective, we also consider potential psychosocial hazards including excessive time pressure, prolonged need for attention to detail and supervision requirements, taking into account how these tasks are managed amongst teams.
Job Suitability
A worker’s job demands are categorised as either light, medium or heavy to assist with their return to work should an injury occur, whereby treating medical practitioners, employers or workplace rehabilitation providers can easily identify the tasks suitable for a worker at eache stage of their recovery.
Overall Physical and Psychological Demand Level
The role’s overall physical demand level is rated as either sedentary, light, medium, heavy or very heavy. This is determined according to DOT standards based on the amount of weight handled at work and the frequency that the job demand occurs.
Similarly, overall psychological job demand is assessed on a scale of low, moderate or high.
Pricing
Job Dictionary - Psychological Demands Only
$1,040.00 + GST
Job Dictionary - Basic (Physical)
$1,040.00 + GST
Job Dictionary - Comprehensive (Physical)
$1,820.00 + GST
FAQ
How is a company consulted during the Job Dictionary development?
It is standard practice for KINNECT to have all Job Dictionaries reviewed while in draft format prior to finalisation and submission. This is to ensure that the data reported within the Job Dictionary is an accurate reflection of the demands.
In the development of each Job Dictionary, employers receive one free opportunity to review and update with the Consultant. Any additional reviews and amendments will come at an hourly rate.
Are there any unique features of KINNECT Job Dictionaries?
KINNECT have developed a suitable duties checklist which is added to all Job Dictionaries. This checklist summarises the potential suitable duties that may be available to an individual, should they sustain an injury, categorising these duties into sedentary, light, medium and heavy if physical and low, moderate or high if cognitive. These checklists enable medical personnel to make informed decisions regarding a worker’s return to work at the time of medical review, eliminating the chance of an individual wrongly being issued a total incapacity certificate because of a lack of understanding of the available duties and job demands.
How long will a site visit for a Job Dictionary take?
The site visit associated with each Job Dictionary can vary depending on the type of role, required duties and whether the Job Dictionary is basic or comprehensive, physical and/or psychological. As a rough guide, employers can expect a KINNECT Consultant to be on site for 2 hours for a basic Job Dictionary and 4 hours for a comprehensive Job Dictionary. Â
Additional time is required for the report to be produced following each site visit.
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