EMPCO Health Surveillance & Monitoring 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Under OSHA's medical surveillance requirements, how long must employers retain employee medical records?
- 5 years
- 10 years
- 30 years plus duration of employment (Correct answer)
- Indefinitely
Correct answer: 30 years plus duration of employment
OSHA requires employers to retain employee medical records for at least 30 years plus the duration of employment.
Question 2: A biological exposure index (BEI) measures what in occupational health surveillance?
- Airborne contaminant concentration at the source
- Levels of a substance or its metabolites in biological specimens (Correct answer)
- The permissible exposure limit on the OSHA table
- Maximum ambient noise decibels allowed per shift
Correct answer: Levels of a substance or its metabolites in biological specimens
A BEI measures the level of a chemical substance or its metabolites in biological specimens such as blood or urine, reflecting actual worker body burden.
Question 3: Which type of health surveillance is triggered by an individual worker reporting symptoms rather than a scheduled program?
- Periodic surveillance
- Baseline surveillance
- Reactive (or symptom-triggered) surveillance (Correct answer)
- Exit surveillance
Correct answer: Reactive (or symptom-triggered) surveillance
Reactive surveillance is initiated in response to a worker's reported symptoms or health event, as opposed to routine scheduled monitoring.
Question 4: In an EMPCO health program, what is the primary purpose of a job-task analysis prior to medical surveillance?
- To determine employee pay grades
- To identify specific hazard exposures linked to each job task (Correct answer)
- To schedule vacation coverage
- To audit financial compliance
Correct answer: To identify specific hazard exposures linked to each job task
A job-task analysis identifies which hazards workers are exposed to during each task, allowing surveillance programs to target the correct health endpoints.
Question 5: Which lung function test is most commonly used in respiratory surveillance programs for workers exposed to dusts and fumes?
- Peak flow monitoring only
- Spirometry (FEV1 and FVC measurement) (Correct answer)
- Chest X-ray alone
- Blood gas analysis
Correct answer: Spirometry (FEV1 and FVC measurement)
Spirometry measuring FEV1 and FVC is the standard lung function test used in occupational respiratory surveillance programs.
Question 6: A 'sentinel health event' in occupational surveillance refers to which of the following?
- A routine negative screening result
- A case of disease that signals a potential workplace hazard requiring investigation (Correct answer)
- An employee's voluntary resignation
- A scheduled annual physical exam
Correct answer: A case of disease that signals a potential workplace hazard requiring investigation
A sentinel health event is an individual case of occupational disease or injury that signals a potential hazard exposure warranting broader workplace investigation.
Question 7: Under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), when may an employer require a medical examination of an existing employee?
- At any time the employer chooses
- Only when job-related and consistent with business necessity (Correct answer)
- Only before the employee begins work
- Never after initial hire
Correct answer: Only when job-related and consistent with business necessity
The ADA permits medical examinations of current employees only when they are job-related and consistent with business necessity, such as after a workplace injury.
EMPCO Health Surveillance & Monitoring 2
Under OSHA's medical surveillance requirements, how long must employers retain employee medical records?