Periodic Medical Examinations

The second component of a Medical Surveillance Program is Periodic Screening (often referred to as "periodic screening exams" or "periodic medical examinations"). OSHA suggests that periodic medical examinations "should be developed and used in conjunction with pre-employment screening examinations." (For example, periodic medical examinations should make use of baseline data and should include similar tests to compare results.)

Periodic screening exams can include any of the following:

• A review of the employee's medical history, with focus on the changes in health status, any illnesses, and possible work-related symptoms. OSHA notes that, in order to conduct this properly, the examining physician "should have information about the worker's interval exposure history, including exposure monitoring at the job site, supplemented by worker-reported exposure history and general information on possible exposures at previously worked sites."
• A physical examination
• Further medical testing (depending on available exposure information, medical history, and examination results)

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