Who is covered: All employees exposed above the AL (without regard to respirator use) at least 30 days/year; and all employees exposed above the AL 30+ days/year for a total of 10+ years of combined employment
Evaluation performed by: Licensed physician (employer-provided, at no cost)
🩺 Baseline / Pre-Placement
At the time of initial assignment to an area where the employee is likely to be exposed above the AL at least 30 days/year
- Work and comprehensive medical history including smoking history
- Physical examination with attention to skin, nose, respiratory tract, lymph nodes, nervous system, and liver
- Posterior-anterior chest X-ray (14×17-inch)
- Sputum cytology examination
- Other tests the physician deems appropriate [8 CCR 5214(n)(2)]
🕒 Periodic / Routine
Interval-based while covered — NOT result-triggered. Frequency depends on a covered-status risk tier (age/tenure), not on a prior abnormal result.
Schedule: Annually for employees under age 45 AND with fewer than 10 years of arsenic exposure. Semi-annually for employees aged 45 or older OR with 10 or more years of exposure.
- Annual tier (age <45 AND <10 years exposure): interim work and medical history including smoking history; interim physical examination; and other examinations the physician believes appropriate because of arsenic exposure or required respirator use [8 CCR 5214(n)(3)(A)]
- Semi-annual tier (age ≥45 OR ≥10 years exposure): interim work and medical history including smoking history; interim physical examination; other examinations the physician believes appropriate because of arsenic exposure or required respirator use; chest X-ray; and sputum cytology examination [8 CCR 5214(n)(3)(B)]
🚪 Exit / Termination
At termination of employment
- Termination examination, annual tier (age <45 AND <10 years exposure) — interim work and medical history including smoking history; interim physical examination; and other examinations the physician believes appropriate because of arsenic exposure or required respirator use — required unless the applicable periodic examination was taken within the 6 months preceding termination [8 CCR 5214(n)(3)(C), (n)(3)(A)]
- Termination examination, semi-annual tier (age ≥45 OR ≥10 years exposure) — interim work and medical history including smoking history; interim physical examination; other examinations the physician believes appropriate because of arsenic exposure or required respirator use; chest X-ray; and sputum cytology examination — required unless the applicable periodic examination was taken within the 6 months preceding termination [8 CCR 5214(n)(3)(C), (n)(3)(B)]
⚠ Emergency / Post-Exposure
Employee develops signs or symptoms associated with inorganic arsenic exposure
- Additional medical examination as appropriate
Reporting Requirements
| Who performs the evaluation | Licensed physician |
|---|---|
| Reported to employer | Written report interpreting the results of each medical examination and providing recommendations; the physician is not to reveal specific findings or diagnoses unrelated to occupational arsenic exposure. |
| Reported to / for the employee | Employer provides a copy of the physician's written report to the affected employee. |
| Time limits | No specific timeframe for furnishing the written report is stated in the standard. |
| Second-opinion / multi-physician review | No multiple-physician review mechanism specified. |
| Recordkeeping | Medical records maintained for at least 40 years, or for the duration of employment plus 20 years, whichever is longer (records access per 8 CCR 3204). |