Occupational Spirometry Highlights: Pitfalls and Interpretation

CME/MOC: 1.5
TRACK: OEM Education and Scientific Research

Mary C. Townsend, DrPH, MC Townsend Associates, LLC, Pittsburgh, PA

Occupational spirometry is often performed to comply with federal regulations and industry requirements. However, the technical quality of such testing is often mediocre, producing inaccurate results and leading to incorrect inferences about worker health. To increase practitioners’ awareness of the impact of spirometry’s many aspects, this session draws on requirements and best practice guidelines for occupational testing. Recent regulatory requirements for spirometry in miners and in silica-exposed workers will be reviewed. Major spirometer issues, requirements for valid tests, volume-time and flow-volume curves and what they tell the technician and the practitioner, and interpretation of test results will also be covered. Testing errors will be demonstrated. Session participants are encouraged to print out OSHA 3637-03 2013: Spirometry Testing in Occupational Health Programs: Best Practices for Healthcare Professionals from www.osha.gov/Publications/OSHA3637.pdf.