Thank you Melanie.
For Rebecca – also – though they need annual fit testing they do not need annual medical clearance by OHS. There are a few questions - such as did they gain lose weight, have facial surgery, grow a beard since the last fit test – that should occur. We have the Safety Service doing the fit testing and asking those 4 questions, and then only if there is a positive answer or a failed fit test are they sent to OHS for review. It lightened our workload by the thousands!
Just FYI.
Wendy
W. Thanassi MD, MA, MRO
VAPAHCS and Qiagen
Hello Rebecca,
The short answer is that everyone who is enrolled in a Respiratory Protection Program (RPP) due to their risk of contact with pathogens that can be transmitted through the “airborne” route needs annual fitting, unless they only use a PAPR. While droplet to airborne is admittedly a continuum, there are pathogens and clinical situations that warrant a respirator. If that respirator is tight-fitting (e.g. N95) then annual fit testing is a requirement of the OSHA standard.
But I wonder if the question you may be asking is whether all lab personnel at your facility need to be enrolled in the RPP. Certainly any research lab personnel working in a BSL3 lab need to be enrolled. Microbiology lab staff who work routinely with cultures of M. tb and other pathogens that are easily transmitted through the air should be enrolled. As for the other staff, there should be a conversation involving your medical director of Occupational Health, your IPAC medical director, your safety officer and someone from laboratory management, to do a risk assessment and determine which lab personnel need to be enrolled in the RPP.
If your medical director is not an occupational physician or needs support in their occ med role, please let them know about the MCOH Section of ACOEM where they can always “phone a friend”! They can also take our annual Medical Center Occupational Health Basics course offered in conjunction with AOHC.
Hello
I am newer to Employee health role and working on updating Respiratory Protection Policy . The question that I have: Do all Lab personnel need to be fit test to meet the OHSA annual requirements.
Thank you
Rebecca Ryan BSN RN CIC
Infection Preventionist & EH RN
Curry Health Network
94220 4th Street
Gold Beach, OR 97444
541-247-3021
Teamwork. Service. Integrity. Curiosity.
“In the realm of healthcare, the well-being of the patient should eclipse all other concerns, for their care is the true measure of our success."
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