Spirometry Testing Has Returned – Here’s What You Need to Know

• Spirometry is a useful lung function test requiring forceful exhalation

• Performed as part of provincially mandated medical surveillance programs, it can identify exposures to occupational respiratory hazards

• The COVID-19 pandemic led facilities to pause testing, though deferred tests remain legally required

• Tests are now resuming with various infection control measures in place

• Comprehensive exposure controls and a robust medical surveillance program is the best way employers can protect their workforce

What is Spirometry?

Employers are required by provincial legislation to implement protective measures in workplaces with known respiratory hazards (e.g., coal dust, asbestos, silica, isocyanates). The goal is to prevent workers from inhaling such hazards, which could cause occupational lung diseases and other complications over the course of their employment. Legislation can vary by province.

Medical surveillance programs, mandatory for workplaces with respiratory hazards, aid in the detection of exposures. They involve periodic medical evaluations of employees, comprising of spirometry tests and possibly chest X-rays.

A spirometry test assesses how well the lungs work by measuring lung capacity and the elasticity of lung tissue (the springier the tissue, the better the lung can function). The test determines the volume of air one can inhale and then forcefully exhale, as well as the rate at which this occurs.

This test provides a strong indicator of respiratory health, similar to the way blood pressure measurements provide important insights on cardiovascular health. Airflow obstruction can be identified up to a decade before signs appear on an X-ray, and before chronic obstructive pulmonary disease symptoms present.

Spirometry & COVID-19 

COVID-19 spreads via respiratory droplets and aerosols; the forceful exhalation required for spirometry puts medical practitioners and associate staff at risk of exposure. In response, testing facilities, including DriverCheck (“DC”) clinics, paused spirometry testing during the pandemic. With high vaccination rates and low community transmission across the country, DC resumed testing at its clinics on July 4, 2022.

Deferred tests remain legally required and should be performed at the earliest opportunity.

Dr. Jonathan W. Davids, Corporate Medical Director at DC, highlights that DC continues to keep health and safety at the forefront of its activities:  

COVID-19 remains a health threat. Our clinics have always followed strict infection control standards and as we reintroduce spirometry testing will continue to follow established guidelines set by provincial public health units to ensure the protection of your employees and our staff. DC will continue to monitor the situation and make necessary changes when appropriate, as our commitment to your employees’ health and safety remains the same.

What Employees Can Expect

DC will continue following infection control measures at our clinics. Below is a description of safety measures that your employees can expect when visiting a DC clinic:

• A screening questionnaire is required to be completed in advance of appointment and on arrival to the testing facility

• Appointments will be rescheduled if the individual is symptomatic

• Individuals will be asked to wear a medical-grade mask throughout the appointment except for those moments when they are being tested

• Clinic staff will be wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) for the duration of the appointment, which may include fit-tested N95 respirators

As the current situation and public health advice evolves, health and safety measures at DriverCheck clinics are subject to change. 

Spirometry & Respiratory Health in the Workplace

Spirometry is a useful tool in medical surveillance programs. If adverse health effects related to occupational exposure are identified in an employee, an immediate evaluation of their organizations’ exposure control measures may be required.

Potential control measures can be distinguished by their general efficacy. Commonly arranged as a hierarchy of controls, organizations can work their way down to develop safer operations.

The most effective protective measure is the elimination or substitution of a workplace hazard. If this is not possible, steps to control employee exposure may include changing the way the hazard is worked with, or preferably the hazard can be isolated from the employees altogether.

Training on safety, procedure, and policy, along with the use of PPE, should be leveraged where hazards are difficult to control. However, these measures have shown to be less effective, requiring considerable employee compliance.

These considerations should be proactive rather than reactive. At DC we help employers protect the health of their employees by developing best-in-class respiratory surveillance programs (including spirometry testing) that fit organizational objectives and meet (or exceed) provincial legislation requirements. DC can provide guidance on how to build robust medical surveillance polices and programs, such as occupational health reviews that include comprehensive exposure controls.

About DC

As Canada’s fitness for duty experts, DC’s top priority is the safety of your staff and workplace. Our company-wide goal is to build a safer and healthier world. Founded in 1996, DC is the leading provider of workplace medical testing and assessments in the country serving over 6,400 employers in a variety of industries including transportation, oil & gas, aviation, rail, mining, construction, healthcare, manufacturing, and forestry. DC conducts hundreds of thousands of medical tests annually, offering alcohol and drug testing, COVID-19 testing, occupational health services, medical cannabis review services, medical staffing, and injury management programs. We are constantly striving to be viewed as the educational leader in the fitness for duty sector.