Employee periodic medical examination

A health and safety program designed to ensure safe working conditions for employees who may potentially be cxpo.scd to OPs and CMs should have a medically supervised surveillance system that involves an initial prcentploymenl screen for suitability to work with the anii-ChEs. and for tho.se who are actively employed, there should be provision for periodic medical examinations to exclude clinical evidence of. short- or long-term adverse health effects from the OPs and CMs to which they may be potentially overexposed. Also, the medical surveillance program. should... 

The periodic medical examination should ideally be conducted annually for full-time operatives (e.g., in pesticide manufacture) or at midseason and the end of the work season for part-time employees (e.g., field workers). However, in determining the periodieity of medical examinations and special studies for individual cases, the advising physician should take into account factors that include age, gender, frequency and duration of exposures, and potential exposure dosages. Additionally, employees should be advised, ideally at the preemployment medical examination, that if they believe that they are developing pesticide exposure-... 

During loading and application of pesticide, there should be supervision of employees by experienced people. The employees should be carefully instructed, before the working day starts, about the intended applications and where pesticide handling and exposure may occur. As a reminder, there. should be posters and notices drawing attention to, and clearly defining the health ha7,ards and risks from, overexposure to anti-ChE.s. Pn/vision should be made for preemployment medicals for new workers and for regular periodic medical examinations for established workers. 

OSHA requires employers to keep records of workers exposures to asbestos, ionizing radiation, noise and hazardous chemicals. Under right-to-know regulations employers must maintain information about the hazards of materials and substances. Workers with particular exposures (such as asbestos workers) must undergo periodic medical examinations. Employers must have records of safety training completed by employees. 

This table presents the actions required based on the monitoring result in Appendix A Table A. Each item is a separate requirement in citing non-compliance. For example, a medical examination within 90 days for an employee in category B is separate from the requirement to administer a periodic medical examination for category B employees on an annual basis. 

In this context, another kind of information the company manages is the incidence of employees physical pain. This indicator is measured at least once a year at periodic medical examinations by appl)dng questionnaires as Body Part Discomfort scale (Corlett Bishop 1976). 

Medical and Exposure Records - Certain standards promulgated by OSHA require employers to monitor and measure employee exposure in certain instances, and to keep a record for the term of employment plus thirty years. Other standards require periodic medical examinations of employees, with records to be kept by the employer. When an employer is required to maintain exposure and medical records, 1910.1020 provides employees and their representatives with the right to access and copy those records. 

Occupational medical records should record and document occupationally related medical information of all types (e.g., medical examinations, visits to medical facilities [even for nonoccupational reasons], clinical laboratory data, injuries, pulmonary function tests, audiograms, etc.). The period of time that records must be retained is specified by law depending on the type of data and the health-related agent(s) of concern. In most cases, OSHA requires that information be retained for at least 30 years after the termination of employment (OSHA Standard 29 CFR 1910.1020 Access to Employee Exposure and Medical Records). Medical records should be kept in compliance with the OSHA... 

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) standard for jS-naphthylamine, 29 CFR 1910.1009, contains regulations covering periodic medical surveillance, examinations, and medical records for current employees who may have been exposed to 2NA. However, it should be noted that these regulations do not apply to former employees and that medical surveillance or treatment of former employees is not regulated or required by OSHA. 

J2. Medical examinations shall be performed at periodic intervals, repeated, as determined by the factory. However, after having had an infectious disease, or having returned from visits to areas where some diseases are epidemic (e.g on a vacation abroad) employees shall be re- examined prior to the routine evaluation. 

It is recommended, as a minimum, that permanent employees working with mercury or mercury compounds be provided with periodic physical examinations with a test protocol selected specifically for mercury poisoning. Women who may be pregnant should be especially careful and encouraged to participate in the medical surveillance program if they cannot avoid exposure entirely. 

For example, in certain types of particularly arduous law enforcement activity, there may be a factual basis for believing that substantially aU employees above a specified age would be unable to continue to perform safely and efficiently the duties of their particular jobs, and it may be impossible or impractical to determine through medical examinations, periodic reviews of current job performance and other objective tests the employees capacity or ability to continue to perform the jobs safely and efficiently. 

Periodic examinations, (i) The employer shall provide each employee covered by this section with a medical examination at least annually following the initial examination. These periodic examinations shall include at least the following elements ... 

E) Exception No medical examination is required of any employee if adequate records show that the employee has been examined in accordance with this paragraph within the past 1-year period. 

A) If the employee s levels of CdU did not exceed 3 ug/g Cr, CdB did not exceed 5 ug/lwb, and B2-M did not exceed 300 ug/g Cr in the initial biological monitoring tests, and if the results of the followup biological monitoring required by paragraph (l)(3)(i)(B) of this section one year after the initial examination confirm the previous results, the employer may discontinue all periodic medical surveillance for that employee. 

Explain the requirements of OSHA s Cr(VI) standard. OSHA reqmres employers to limit employee exposure to Cr(VI) to a specified permissible limit. OSHA also requires the employer to perform periodic monitoring, provide PPE, make medical examinations available to employees, train employees, observe proper housekeeping and hygiene practices, and keep exposure and medical records. 

The results of the tests must be made available to the employer, employee, and others (such as the employee s physician) upon the employee s written authorization. The physician must provide a written opinion including the results of the examination, whether the examination revealed any conditions that the employee s occupational exposure would aggravate, and whether there should be any restrictions placed on the employee or modification to the employee s duties to reduce exposure. The physician must also state that he has discussed the results of the examinations with the employee and any follow-up actions that should ensue. If there are any extraneous medical factors not pertinent to the work-related activities of the employee discovered in the course of the examination, the employee has the right to expect complete confidentiahty of this information. The medical records must be maintained, according to the provisions of 29 CER 1910.20, by the employer for the duration of the employee s employment plus 30 years. Much of the supporting data records, such as exposure information, must be kept for a similar period. 

In-Plant Surveillance. A good medical surveillance program will include preemployment examinations of all employees and periodic checkups. Those whose duties are most likely to expose them to mercury should be tested at least annually. Medical surveillance should be supplemented by analyses of plant products, emissions, and effluents and by an environmental monitoring program. Employee monitoring may be on a personal basis or by way of atmospheric measurements. 

The name of the standard at 1910.1020 also mentions the term access. Access means the right to examine and copy exposure and medical records. As an employee, you have the right to access exposure and medical records and analyses that concern your employment. Your employer must permit you and, in certain circumstances your designated representatives, to access exposure and medical records relevant to you, free of charge, within a reasonable period of time. As an employee, you and your designated representatives may access your exposure and medical records in one of three ways ... 

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