Environmental Health and Safety

MEDICAL EVALUATION CHECKLIST

Before to allowing employees to wear respiratory protection, make sure that:

• The employees have been evaluated to determine their ability to wear a respirator prior to being fit tested for or wearing a respirator for the first time in their workplace.
• 
  
  
• A physician or other licensed health care professional (PLHCP) has been identified to perform the medical evaluations.
• 
  
  
• Employees are provided follow-up medical exams if they answer positively to any of question 1 through 8 in Section 2, Part A of the OSHA Respirator Medical Evaluation Questionnaire, or if their initial medical evaluation reveals that a follow-up exam is needed.
• 
  
  
• Medical evaluations are administered confidentially during normal work hours, and in a manner that is understandable to employees.
• 
  
  
• Employees are given the opportunity to discuss the medical evaluation results with the PLHCP.
• 
  
  
• The following supplemental information is provided to the PLHCP before he or she makes a decision about respirator use:
• 
  
  
  • Type and weight of the respirator.
  • 
    
    
  • Duration and frequency of respirator use.
  • 
    
    
  • Expected physical work effort.
  • 
    
    
  • Additional protective clothing to be worn.
  • 
    
    
  • Potential temperature and humidity extremes.
  • 
    
    
  • Written copies of the respiratory protection program and standard.
  
  
• Written recommendations are obtained from the PLHCP regarding each employee's ability to wear a respirator, and that the PLHCP has given the employee a copy of these recommendations.
  
  
• Employees who are medically unable to wear a negative pressure respirator may be provided with a powered air-purifying respirator (PAPR) if the are found by the PLHCP to be medically able to use a PAPR.
• 
  
  
• Employees are given additional medical evaluations when:
• 
  
  
  • The employee reports symptoms related to his or her ability to use a respirator.
  • 
    
    
  • The PLHCP, respiratory protection administrator, or supervisor determines that a medical reevaluation is necessary.
  • 
    
    
  • Information from the respiratory protection program suggests a need for reevaluation.
  • 
    
    
  • workplace conditions have changed in a way that could potentially place an increased burden on an employee's health.