Section 325.51468. Medical examinations.

(1) Medical examinations shall be given to any employee who the physician feels, based on information in the medical disease questionnaire, may be at increased risk from exposure to formaldehyde and shall be given at the time of initial assignment and at least annually thereafter to all employees who are required to wear a respirator to reduce exposure to formaldehyde. The medical examination shall include all of the following:

(a)      A physical examination, with an emphasis on evidence of irritation or sensitization of the skin and respiratory system, shortness of breath, or irritation of the eyes.

(b)   Laboratory examinations for respirator wearers consisting of baseline and annual pulmonary function tests. At a minimum, these tests shall consist of forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV(1)), and forced expiratory flow (FEF).

(c)   Any other test which the examining physician deems necessary to complete the written opinion.

(d)  Counseling of employees who have medical conditions that would be directly or indirectly aggravated by exposure to formaldehyde on the increased risk of impairment of their health.

(2)   An employer shall make medical examinations available as soon as possible to all employees who have been exposed to formaldehyde in an emergency.

(3)   The examination shall include a medical and work history with an emphasis on any evidence of any of the following:

(a)   Upper or lower respiratory problems.

(b)   Allergic conditions.

(c)   ) Skin reaction or hypersensitivity.

(d)  Eye, nose, or throat irritation.

(4)   Other examinations shall consist of those elements considered appropriate by the examining physician.

(5)    An employer shall provide all of the following information to the examining physician:

(a)  ) A copy of these rules and appendices A, C, and D.

(b)     A description of the affected employee's job duties as they relate to the employee's exposure to formaldehyde.

(c)   The representative exposure level for the employee's job assignment.

(d)     Information concerning any personal protective equipment and respiratory protection used or to be used by the employee.

(e)  Information from previous medical examinations of the affected employee within the control of the employer.

(f)    For a nonroutine examination because of an emergency, an employer shall provide, as soon as possible, a description of how the emergency occurred and the exposure the victim may have received.

History:  1990 AACS; 2014 AACS; Republished in 2015 MR 8, May 15, 2015 can be referenced to