When medical exams have to be given for workers exposed to asbestos?

• A. Every two years
• B. At start and end of employment
• C. Only after exposure incident
• D. Once a year

Answer: (D)

Medical surveillance for workers exposed to asbestos is conducted regularly to catch early signs of asbestos-related disease. The standard requires an annual medical examination for employees who have been exposed to asbestos above the permissible exposure limit, with a baseline exam before exposure begins and follow-up examinations each year after that. The yearly exam typically includes a medical history focused on respiratory symptoms, a physical exam of the lungs, and may include pulmonary function testing and chest radiography. This ongoing monitoring is intended to detect changes promptly, not just after an incident.

Other options don’t fit because waiting only at the start and end of employment misses ongoing health monitoring, requiring exams only after an exposure incident neglects routine surveillance, and a two-year interval is less frequent than what the standard calls for.