Since 1983 examinations for occupational medical prophylaxis have been carried out in Germany in line with the guideline G41 “Work involving a danger of falling”. In recent years approximately 80 to 90 thousand workers have been examined annually according to this guideline. An important component of this check-up is examinaton of the sense of balance. In the present field study it was investigated how and with which results this examination is carried out in practice. Retrospective analysis of the medical documentation for 778 candidates examined according to guideline G41 was carried out in two super-regional occupational medical centers. The analysis included the data acquisition, as well as the interpretation and evaluation of the findings with respect to working ability and fitness. In all of the 778 cases a stepping test (Unterberger/Fukuda) was performed. In 568 cases this stepping test was recorded photo-optically and evaluated by means of cranio-corpo-graphy (CCG). In 210 cases the tests were described verbally and documented. The scientific analysis of the steppingtest results revealed 106 abnormal findings of which 33.3% and 35.4 % gave reason for concern about health. Written evaluations of neither the CCG results nor the 89 cases, shown to be normal in stepping-tests without cranio-corpo-graphy were available. The evaluation of the clinical findings and their documentation are often unsatisfactory and must be improved. In the evaluation of the results of the stepping test of Unterberger/Fukuda, knowledge deficits were apparant. Therefore it is proposed, that special training seminars be arranged.
