Do I need to be in a Medical Surveillance program?

If any of the following apply to your work at NC State University, you may be required to participate in an occupational medical surveillance program. Review the links below and contact EHS as indicated.

  • Persons wearing respirators must have approval from EHS to wear a respirator. This will also commonly require medical approval.  Refer to the Respiratory Protection Program for details. Contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons whose noise exposures equal or exceed an 8-hour time weighted average (TWA) of 85 decibels are enrolled in a Hearing Conservation Program. A general rule of thumb for detecting excessive noise levels is if you have to raise your voice when talking to someone 3 feet away. Contact 919-515-6862 or  env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons with job duties that require them to protect others by immediately cleaning up small blood spills or confine large blood spills for proper clean-up, or workers with tasks that require handling human blood/blood products/tissues/cells should refer to the Bloodborne Pathogens website for more information. Contact 919-515-6858 or env-health-ibc@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons having more than one-time contact with vertebrate animals (live or dead), their living quarters, or their tissues, body fluids, or wastes may require medical surveillance. Refer to the Animal Contact program for information concerning vertebrate animal exposure. Contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons using radiation producing devices and radioactive material under specific conditions may require medical surveillance. For more information contact Radiation Safety at 919-515-5208 or see the Radiation Safety Manual.
  • Persons conducting maintenance work that disturbs asbestos-containing material. Refer to the Asbestos Management Plan. Contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons will require medical surveillance for tasks involving silica exposure when required to wear a respirator greater than 30 days per calendar year. Processes can include cutting concrete and working with sand. See Silica Exposure Control program. Contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons performing Scientific Diving–  All divers (applies to all diving operations conducted at or associated with NC State University, (excluding diving instruction classes administered in university pools),  must have medical fitness for diving cleared by NC State Occupational Medicine and the NC State Diving Safety Officer.  Details can be found at diving safety.
  • Persons performing some tasks involving lead exposure such as disturbing painted surfaces and firearms training may require review for medical surveillance. See the Lead Management Plan. For non-lab areas, contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu.
  • Persons using any of the following 13 OSHA regulated human carcinogens as “authorized employees” and/or entering “regulated” areas. Note: You must have prior approval from EH&S Lab Safety section (919-513-1282 or env-health-lab-safety@ncsu.edu) to use any of these materials. Based on usage, medical surveillance may be required. For non-lab areas contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu

4-Nitrobiphenyl
Alpha-Naphthylamine
Methyl Chloromethyl Ether
3,3′ Dichlorobenzine (and its salt)
Bis-Chloromethyl Ether
Beta-Naphthylamine
Benzidine
4-Aminodiphenyl
Ethyleneamine
Beta-Propiolactone
2-Acetylamino Fluorine
4- Dimethylaminoazobenzine
N-Nitrosodimethylamine

 1,2 – Dibromo-3-Chloropropane
Vinyl Chloride
Benzene
Acrylonitrile
Formaldehyde
Methylenedianiline
Inorganic arsenic
Cotton Dust
Ethylene Oxide
Cadmium
Beryllium
Lead
Respirable crystalline silica (also see silica section above)
Chromium (VI)
1,3-Butadiene
Methylene chloride

  • Persons having a potential for significant exposure to cholinesterase inhibiting organophosphate pesticides should participate in periodic monitoring of cholinesterase levels. Refer to Pesticide Exposure Prevention for additional information on exposure reduction, and Cholinesterase Biomonitoring Program Contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu
  • Persons with significant and prolonged use of mercury, chlorinated solvents, heavy metals, or other solids and liquids with chronic toxicity and:
    • enclosure and local exhaust ventilation are not available or ineffective or
    • prolonged glove contact is necessary and material is capable of rapid absorption through the skin or;
    • oral uptake is possible from contaminated surfaces and the material used is a systemic poison.

Medical surveillance may be required. For lab areas, contact 919-515-1282 or env-health-lab-safety@ncsu.edu.  For non-lab areas, contact 919-515-6862 or env-health-occ-health@ncsu.edu .

  • Various advisory groups (e.g. Institutional Biosafety Committee) or colleges (e.g. CVM) may recommend/require medical exams, biological monitoring, immunizations, or titers based on the nature of the work activity. For questions, contact 919-515-6858.

Program

Departments and Units with personnel participating in an occupational medical surveillance program should be familiar with the scope and funding for the program provided here.

Additional Forms

Contact Points