The Illinois Emergency Management Agency and Office of Homeland Security (IEMA-OHS) intends to enter a two-year contract for staff occupational physicals for agency employees. As an emergency response agency, IEMA-OHS is required to comply with OSHA Regulation 1910.120 for Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Personnel. This requires medical examinations and consultations shall be made available by the Agency to each employee at least once every 12 months for each employee covered (any employee who conducts environmental radiation duties at hazardous waste operation sites and/or response to hazardous material incidents or emergency response) unless the attending physician believes a longer interval, not greater than biennially, is appropriate or as soon as possible following the emergency incident or development of signs or symptoms. The examinations shall include a medical and work history (or updated history if one is in the employee’s file) with special emphasis on symptoms related to the handling of hazardous substances and health hazards, and to fitness for duty including the ability to wear any required PPE under conditions (i.e., temperature extremes) that may be expected at the work site.
