Weight Problems with the medical

[BigNeil]

Hi gents and ladies,

hoping you can all help me. I have applied for Southern and passed the assessment day and have an interview next week. My problem is that i am currently overweight and have a bmi of 40. i have seen that the upper bmi is 33 on the medical. i am currently crash dieting to get as much weight off as possible in anticipation of getting past the interviews but i would really like to know is that if you are physically fit, which i am, do they ever use discretion with weight and let some of us chunkys pass or is it a case of bugger off and lose weight?!! as i say, i have regular health checks in my current job with the highways agency and am physically fit with no medical problems.

Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated.

Many thanks!

 

[156441]

There is no upper BMI limit for most companies. As long as you meet the medical group standards set out by the RSSB there is no reason you shouldn't get through. My BMI is 37 (and it's wobble not muscle) and I've passed medicals for 2 passenger companies and a freight company.

The 33 thing was what a certain company advised as they suggested drivers would not fit in the cab. I would suggest if you were turned down on weight alone you'd have grounds for discrimination?

 

[i7demon]

Hi Neil sorry my reply may not be of no use now but ive just had the same issue, i come from a family of pro & semi pro rugby players we are all big guys, my BMI was 40 as well! if your stuck let me know i have some fantastic advice from the body that have the BMI test, i emailed all the directors and got a sound reply basically the test in most cases is just a guideline! nothing more. if you need a copy of the email let me know il paste it on here mate hope you passed?

 

[TDK]

There is no upper BMI limit for most companies. As long as you meet the medical group standards set out by the RSSB there is no reason you shouldn't get through. My BMI is 37 (and it's wobble not muscle) and I've passed medicals for 2 passenger companies and a freight company.

The 33 thing was what a certain company advised as they suggested drivers would not fit in the cab. I would suggest if you were turned down on weight alone you'd have grounds for discrimination?

Not necessarily if the company standard clearly quotes that the maximum BMI is 33 and you are over that and there is a valid safety reason why the BMI has to be 33 or less it is not discrimination

 

[A-driver]

Not necessarily if the company standard clearly quotes that the maximum BMI is 33 and you are over that and there is a valid safety reason why the BMI has to be 33 or less it is not discrimination

But as long as it isn't causing any other health problems and you are mobile enough to do things like climb in and out of a cab from ground level and walk 1.25 miles on ballast in reasonable time then there is no safety case and so they won't turn you down for that alone.

I know it's different once you are in but there are enough larger drivers out there to prove that it isn't a safety issue. And high BMI didn't automatically mean you are large-my BMI is over my companies requirements but I look skinny and wear fairly average trousers etc. so I have no issues fitting in cabs or anything like that which I know southeastern used to say was the reasoning behind the BMI limit.

If you go for a medical with most jobs they will have a limit on BMI and they will talk to you about it if you are over from a health perspective, not fail you and deny you the job unless the weight is going to cause problems in the role.

 

[Twoonthebuzzer]

I was classed as overweight at my medical but all the consultant did us get me to do a few "moves" and then declared me fit for the role.

 

[Yew]

I would imagine the Fitting in the cab stuff comes from TOC's that operate 153's With their tiny cab at the B End!

 

[GB]

BMI on its own is a useless medical measure as far as I am concerned anyway. Providing you meet the other criteria you shouldn't have a problem.

 

[455driver]

I would imagine the Fitting in the cab stuff comes from TOC's that operate 153's With their tiny cab at the B End! I'm 5'10" and 80kg, and I wouldnt fancy being in there for an extended time

There is more knee room in the small end than there is in the big end, you might well fit okay in the small end but your knees wouldnt fit in the big end!

 

[BigNeil]

Thanks very much guys for your advice, i doubled checked with the doc and im 38.2, but as i work for the balfour beatty on the M25 currently and my role of incident support can also include tarmacing, barrier repair and walking 3km with cones and equipment my mobility is excellent for a big bloke. Well, line managers interview tomorrow, so fingers crossed, mnay thanks again guys and hope to join some of you soon!!

Neil

 

[westcoaster]

Thanks very much guys for your advice, i doubled checked with the doc and im 38.2, but as i work for the balfour beatty on the M25 currently and my role of incident support can also include tarmacing, barrier repair and walking 3km with cones and equipment my mobility is excellent for a big bloke. Well, line managers interview tomorrow, so fingers crossed, mnay thanks again guys and hope to join some of you soon!!

Neil

If they ask and if they do explain what you are doing and what its done so far, i had the same issue but over the driving license or lack of at interview. I explained i was just a couple of lessons away from my test, and my instructor thought id pass ok ( which i did). So goes to prove there is some leaway.

 

[i7demon]

As ive stated my BMI is 40, if a company states they will not employ anyone over a 33bmi then they are discriminating! besides i passed All my DNA & Medical with flying colors so speaks volumes really.
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N1 Neil!! i hope you do well with the job!!

 

[TDK]

The BMI factor is not there to see if you can walk 1 1/2 miles, are fit or able it is there specifically for cab ergonomics.
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As ive stated my BMI is 40, if a company states they will not employ anyone over a 33bmi then they are discriminating! besides i passed All my DNA & Medical with flying colors so speaks volumes really.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
N1 Neil!! i hope you do well with the job!!

Once again it is not discrimination it is there for a reason. However every TOC is different and so is their traction. If it quotes that the maximum BMI is 33 and you are a BMI of 40 and you do not get the job on these grounds good luck with the compensation case as you will more than likely lose it.

 

[A-driver]

The BMI factor is not there to see if you can walk 1 1/2 miles, are fit or able it is there specifically for cab ergonomics.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---




Once again it is not discrimination it is there for a reason. However every TOC is different and so is their traction. If it quotes that the maximum BMI is 33 and you are a BMI of 40 and you do not get the job on these grounds good luck with the compensation case as you will more than likely lose it.

BMI is different to cab ergonomics. A high BMI certainly does not mean that you are big. As I said, I fit comfortably into a 34" waist trousers but have a high BMI. Many other people are the same. Someone with a High BMI alone won't mean they can't fit into the cab-you would need to actually see them first!

 

[BromleyBoi]

I'm currently in the training school with a London Commuter belt TOC & when I had my medical my BMI was 44 and I was of slightly overweight proportions and passed the medical with flying colours I had just lost a significant amount of weight at the time which helped though.
The only thing occupational health wanted was for me to be risk assessed which entailed being supervised getting into and out of the cabs of trains from ground level, moving through the trains and seeing that I could comfortably reach all the cab controls.
As long as you don't have any health issues or mobility issues then you should be ok.

 

[BigNeil]

TDK u need to calm down mate, compensation case??? are you serious
If i dont get the job so be it, its not the end of the world!!
had my interview today and the managers i saw said dont worry about the bmi. it doesnt help and as long as blood pressure/mobility/heart rate are good theres no probs. so thanks to everyone again for the advice, i look forward to maybe meeting some of you soon!

 

[i7demon]

WD Neil!!! like i stated i passed all mine! got the test results via a PDF today maybe you or one of the boys can answer me this question please? i think the test is either a pass or fail? i got "Satisfactory" pass on all my test result i take it that there is no other level of achievement as in Great/Excellent its just a fail or satisfactory? i was worried the word satisfactory was "just passable" rather then with flying colors? did you get the same?