Cornell extension schedules respirator clinic

Cornell Cooperative Extension of Suffolk County and Mount Sinai-Irving J. Selikoff Center for Occupational & Environmental Medicine have partnered to provide a respirator fit testing clinic to assist growers with WPS compliance requirements for respirator use. The fit testing clinic will be held on March 14, 2018, at the LI Horticultural Research & Extension Center, 3059 Sound Avenue, Riverhead, N.Y.

During the clinics Mt. Sinai will provide medical evaluations; respirator fit tests; and WPS compliant trainings on how to properly inspect, put on, take off, fit, seal check, use, clean, maintain, and store respirators.         

When calling to schedule an appointment please have the following information available:

• Total number of people attending from your farm
• Name of each person being scheduled
• Make and model of each respirator to be tested 

Please keep in mind that a clean-shaven face is a necessity for masks to be effective and for fit testing to be possible.

Additionally, the extension asks that anyone needing a medical evaluation please fill out the Medical Evaluation Questionnaire or Spanish Language Medical Evaluation Questionnaire and either fax them to Norman Zuckerman, Mt Sinai Hospital at 646-537-9462 or scan and email them to him at norman.x.zuckerman@mssm.edu.

Medical evaluations are required one time unless another medical evaluation is required for any of the following reasons:

• If the employee reports signs such as shortness of breath, dizziness, chest pains, or wheezing related to respirator use
• If a change occurs in working conditions that may result in an increased physiological burden on the employee
• If observations made by anyone during use or fit-testing indicates a need for re-evaluation.
• If the Physician or other licensed health care profession requires another evaluation is a specified period of time. 

Pre-registration is required. Registration closes on March 1, 2018. The cost of the clinic is to be determined. 

To register please call Sandy Menasha at 631-727-7850, ext. 316.

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