HAZWOPER: Medical Surveillance Program
Workers handling hazardous waste may expose them to toxic chemicals, safety hazards, biological hazards, and radiation.
Workers handling hazardous waste may expose them to toxic chemicals, safety hazards, biological hazards, and radiation. They may develop heat stress while wearing protective equipment or working under temperature extremes or face life-threatening emergencies such explosions and fires. Because of these exposures, a medical surveillance program is essential to access and monitor a worker’s health and fitness, both prior to employment and during the course of work, to provide emergency and other treatment as needed and to keep accurate records for future reference.