Every employee of PLU who must wear an N95 or other filtering facepiece respirator will be provided with a medical evaluation, at no cost to them, before they are allowed to use the respirator. Here is our process for our employees:
Step 1: We provide employees with a copy of our occupational health provider’s (Concentra) medical questionnaire and have the employee fill it out in private during paid work time. They must also complete an Employer Authorization Form. Further instructions regarding Concentra’s evaluation and testing process, locations, and hours of operation can be found here.
Step 2: Completed questionnaires contain confidential medical information and will NOT be reviewed by management or others in our company. Instead, each employee will deliver their questionnaire, directly to Concentra when they arrive for their medical evaluation and fit testing.
Step 3: If the licensed health care professional determines that a medical exam is also necessary, this will be provided at no cost to the employee, during paid work time, also by a Concentra provider.
If no medical exam is indicated, the licensed health care professional will simply notify the employee and the company of their written recommendation as to whether or not the employee is medically able to wear a respirator with or without limitations. No details about the employee’s medical status will be revealed in the written recommendation due to confidentiality laws.
Copies of written recommendations (but not completed questionnaires) will be maintained by the PLU EH&S Manager for recordkeeping and access purposes.
Additional medical evaluations will be done if any of the following occur:
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- The medical provider recommends it
- The respirator program administrator decides it is needed
- An employee shows signs of breathing difficulty
- Changes in work conditions occur that could increase an employee’s physical stress (such as high temperatures or greater physical exertion).
The PLU School of Nursing provides medical evaluations using this Form, for their students who must use respirators at their clinical placements.