Occupational Health

Specialized Respirator Fit Testing

A respirator can't protect you or your team if it doesn't fit. It's that simple. Onsite testing is the most convenient and cost-effective way to meet the OSHA fit testing requirements. Our team of Certified Occupational and Environmental Health Nurses can help you prepare and implement a Respiratory Protection Program in accordance with the OSHA requirements. Our computerized devices represent the latest advance in fit testing technology. This allows your workers to get to work as soon as possible.

We utilize the OHD Quantitative Fit Testing Machine and follow the Controlled Negative Pressure (CNP) REDON quantitative fit testing protocol developed by OSHA when performing quantitative fit testing at our clients' sites. We can also perform qualitative fit testing by following the Bitrex – Denatonium Benzoate Solution Aerosol Qualitative Fit Test Protocol or Irritant Smoke (Stannic Chloride) Protocol developed by OSHA. Whether quantitative or qualitative, EC offers complete respirator fit testing services.

Supporting Workplace Health Through Precise, Thorough Testing

Spirometry is used in pre-placement and fit-for-duty examinations, in situations where the physical demands of a job require a certain level of cardiopulmonary fitness or the characteristics of respirator use can impose a significant burden on the cardiopulmonary systems.

Repeated spirometric evaluations can be used in medical surveillance programs when workplace exposures may put workers at risk of developing occupationally related respiratory disorders. Monitoring can be used to detect slowly developing or delayed losses of function that characterize many work-related respiratory disorders. Surveillance programs require that a baseline is established and that workers be retested periodically. These periodic spirometry tests may be mandated by OSHA regulations for employees exposed to specific chemicals.

An Innovative Approach to Pulmonary Function Testing

Whether scheduled monitoring or during an emergency response, EC can provide medical physicians, registered nurses and certified occupational and environmental health nurses to provide onsite medical surveillance. This can be due to long-term exposure concerns and compliance or natural disaster quick first aid resources.

Our occupational health team utilizes cutting-edge technology and the services of experienced health professionals to provide clients with effective respiratory testing in the workplace, thereby reducing the amount of time an employee is away from the job, alleviating inconvenience, and ensuring a more accurate evaluation.

MOBILE OCCUPATIONAL RESPIRATORY EVALUATION (MORE) PROGRAM

The MORE Program attempts to address the increasing demands of work-related health issues. Spirometry is performed to evaluate work-related respiratory complaints, such as asthma and Reactive Airway Dysfunction Syndrome. In circumstances where the precipitating agent is known or suspected, real-time and laboratory air monitoring can be performed to correlate with spirometry results. Observations of ongoing work activities potentially associated with respiratory complaints and spirometry changes can also be provided by a EC certified industrial hygienist.

Advantages in using the MORE program include but are not limited to:

• NIOSH-trained nurses directly on-site
• Multiple spirograms taken during various job functions
• More objective data collected leading to more accurate results and reliable conclusions on whether or not problems are workplace-related
• Data can be reviewed by EC occupational medicine physicians
• Real-time air monitoring and work activity observations can be conducted at the time of spirometry by an industrial hygienist
• One fee covers multiple tests

Efficient & Reliable Screening Services That Don’t Disrupt Business

When clearances and screenings are required, it's of the utmost importance to choose a partner whose results you can count on. EC is often asked to perform employee medical clearance activities and assist in collecting biological samples (blood, plasma, urine, skin, hair) for analysis of toxic chemical exposure. Our nurses perform annual examinations in a wide variety of industries that include vision screening, pulmonary function testing, respirator fit testing (quantitative and qualitative), urinalysis, vital signs, OSHA medical questionnaire review, assessments for methylene chloride, isocyanate, hexavalent chromium, benzene, and other chemical exposures.

The equipment used in the medical surveillance program is mobile, making it easy for our nurses to travel to any client's site. EC has NIOSH certified nursing staff to perform pulmonary function and respiratory fitness testing and have experience with testing large groups of workers. We work quickly and diligently to complete the assessments to avoid keeping the workers away from their job duties. Our ability to be mobile has proven to be very valuable to our clients to help minimize business interruption. We strive to provide the services you need without disrupting your work environment.

Keeping Your Personnel Healthy Through Expert Services & Education

Every year, millions of Americans contract infectious diseases that can result in reduced workplace productivity, a substantial increase in health care costs, and adverse or even fatal outcomes. It is important to hold educational programs to teach employees basic principles and techniques of infection control and the importance of immunizations.

EC’s Occupational and Environmental Health nurses can handle, store, transport, and administer vaccines as requested, especially during disaster response for recovery workers. We also provide emergency supplies available on location in the event of an adverse reaction to any vaccine administered employee. Vaccinations to consider include Hepatitis A and B, Influenza, and Tetanus, to name a few.

Medical Education That Can Save Lives At Work & Beyond

Medical training can make a significant difference in the overall impact of an emergency. In the continued effort to further help our clients keep their workforces healthy, EC offers a wide variety of medical training programs. They range in level for the average citizen needing to attain a higher standard of self-confidence in handling home type emergencies to the industrial setting and professional responder requirements.

Our course titles include:

• EMT Training CPR
• Basic First Aid
• AED
• Respirator Fit Testing
• Industrial Medic Training Program
• First Responder
• Emergency Medical Technician
• Automobile Extraction

Developing Programs to Support Workforce Health

EC’s Occupational and Environmental Health Nurses and Occupational Physicians partner with our client's health & safety organizations to develop comprehensive health programs. These thorough programs contribute to the health and safety of the work environment. Our programs include, but are not limited to:

• Prevention of injury and protection from work-related/environmental hazards
• CPR, First-Aid, health promotion, and risk reduction training
• Management or performance of preventative health services such as immunizations, vaccinations, smoking cessation, exercise/fitness, nutrition & weight control

Keeping Your Personnel Healthy Through Expert Services & Education

EC developed the 24/7/365 Worker Exposure Emergency Response Program (WERP) to offer immediate response from toxicology professionals to employees reporting a chemical exposure at their workplace. The program is designed to provide access to a full complement of toxicological resources to help support medical care providers, employees, and company supervisors have the necessary information concerning the potential chemical exposure in question.

WERP offers a unique and proactive method of addressing employee chemical exposure incidents and injury claims. EC toxicologists, in consultation with occupational health services staff, can tailor a program to suit the specific needs of any client and their industry.