Respiratory Testing
Protect Employee Health
Depending on the industry, employees may be exposed to hazardous toxins, chemicals, and other dangers in safety-sensitive positions that require them to wear a respirator. To ensure the safety of the employee and their health in this environment, Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA), state-level OSHA, and other agencies, require employees to complete a respirator fit test, along with a medical evaluation before their first time wearing one on the job. The medical evaluation can be conducted using a MEQ (Medical Evaluation Questionnaire) or a physical examination that obtains the same information as an MEQ. This ensures that the respirator fits the person wearing it, while also ensuring they are in overall good health to perform the job tasks. At the end of the day, if a respirator doesn’t fit, it won't adequately protect the person wearing it.
How Does a Respirator Work?
A respirator works to filter air particles, fumes, dust, vapors, and bioaerosols that can carry hazardous particles, such as silica, asbestos, coal, and pesticides. Respiratory exposure can lead to work-related illnesses and diseases, including allergies, asthma, influenza, pneumoconiosis, tuberculosis, obliterative bronchiolitis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), silicosis, and mesothelioma.
These illnesses can cause lifelong, debilitating harm to an employee’s health, and the severity can depend on:
- Type of work performed during inhalation
- How long the substance is inhaled
- Type of substance that is inhaled
- Location of the lung where the substance lands
When properly equipped and fitted with the correct respirator for the job, the employee is further protected from inhaling hazardous materials. Since work conditions and materials can vary significantly, a health professional must assess each employee to determine the most suitable options, ensuring their safety.
Physical Requirements
Not everyone can wear a respirator, as it can make breathing difficult. Certain medical conditions may worsen one’s ability to breathe. Therefore, a medical evaluation is necessary for employees who require a respirator to ensure they are capable of wearing it while working. Certain aspects will be taken into consideration during the assessment, including health, respirator type, job description, and the condition of the workplace.
An OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire will be administered to determine if the employee can wear a respirator and to identify if any additional medical evaluations, such as a pulmonary function test or physical examination, are necessary.
According to OSHA, “before you can be medically evaluated, your employer must also provide the physician or licensed healthcare professional with information about how you will use the respirator at work.”
For example:
- The type and weight of your respirator
- How long and how often will you be wearing the respirator
- How hard will you be working, and how much effort will be involved
- Other protective clothing or equipment you will wear during respirator use
- Temperature and humidity extremes at work, along with
- A copy of the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard and your employer's written respiratory protection program.
Reevaluation
After an employee is cleared to wear a respirator, they could still require a reevaluation depending on certain circumstances, including:
- Reported medical signs or symptoms related to your ability to use a respirator
- Someone such as a physician or licensed healthcare provider, your supervisor, or the respirator program administrator informs your employer that you need to be reevaluated
- Information or observations made during the evaluation that indicate you need a reevaluation
- A change occurs in workplace conditions that makes it more difficult to wear the respirator
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To learn more about DISA’s occupational health services, please call 281-673-2530 or contact us online below.
