Are uniform questionnaires and spirometry testing important to ascertain quality of the screening program?
• Many stakeholders agreed that the spirometry quality is very important and spirometry testing is typically fraught with quality problems. One stakeholder suggestion was to stipulate criteria for spirometry testing in the standard, including the need to follow American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria. Stakeholders also suggested that technicians receive NIOSH spirometry training, and that employers be required to periodically review the quality of the technician’s testing. Saving a copy of the spirometry tracing, not just the numerical results, is also important. One stakeholder recommended it would be more effective for OSHA to suggest technicians receive formal spirometry training but not mandate training in order to achieve greater compliance. Conservative criteria could be used for screening purposes and borderline findings could be followed up with additional evaluation, suggested stakeholders. • A few stakeholders urged OSHA to use validated occupational and medical history ques
