NeoSomaTech
Is an occupational physician's opinion needed to wear an exoskeleton?
The answer in detail
Wearing an exoskeleton changes posture, balance, cardiac effort and sometimes sensation. INRS accordingly considers that it is for the occupational health service to determine fitness, crossing the person's health with the work situation, and to assess the benefits and limits of using the device.
This is not medical advice, nor legal advice: we report what INRS says, in its frequently asked questions updated on 23 May 2018. For your case, only the occupational physician can decide.
What the sources say
- Fitness: it is for the occupational health service to assess it, given health and workstation (INRS).
- Involvement: INRS advises involving the occupational health service in the assessment and follow-up.
- Integration guide: the occupational physician must be involved, for medical opinion, usage recommendations and risk assessment.
- Low back pain: the French health insurer mentions workstation adaptation and the pre-return visit among the levers for staying in work.
The judgment concerns the person and the workstation together: the same device may suit one employee and not another. An exoskeleton can be part of a workstation adaptation: it is also the condition cited for the health insurer's financial aid, which we discuss in our question on financial aid.
Step-by-step instructions
- Tell the occupational health service that the employer is considering an exoskeleton for your workstation.
- Have the movements, loads and postures described through a workstation analysis.
- Present your health status, notably cardiac, joint and balance.
- Ask for usage recommendations: wearing time, frequency, signs to stop.
- Plan a follow-up and a review after a few weeks of use, with the same physician if possible.
Common mistakes
These mistakes come from a purchase decided without consultation.
- Buying or imposing the device without consulting the occupational health service.
- Hiding a health problem, cardiac or balance for example, which might change the opinion.
- Considering that the exoskeleton removes the need for medical follow-up.
- Ignoring new discomfort or pain while wearing it, instead of speaking to the occupational physician.
- Assuming that an opinion given for one workstation holds for another station or model.
Key takeaways
INRS recommends that the occupational health service assess fitness to wear an exoskeleton and be involved in follow-up. Only the occupational physician can rule on your case: consult them before the trial, and tell them of any change of model or workstation. This is neither medical nor legal advice. For the general framework, read our article on exoskeleton regulation at work.