SILICA IN THE WORKPLACE
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365-AXJ-01-iGDO © 2020, Workplace Safety & Prevention Services (WSPS)
1 877 494 WSPS (9777) | 905 614 1400 | wsps.ca
WSPS.CA
By law, the medical surveillance program must consist of the following:
a) Pre-employment and pre-placement medical examinations
b) Periodic medical examinations
c) Clinical tests
d) Providing health education to the affected worker and
e) Record keeping
Medical examinations must include the following:
1. History
The initial medical and occupational history must cover previous exposure to silica, personal habits
(e.g., smoking) and history of present or past respiratory, both occupational and non occupational
and musculoskeletal disorders including silicosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease,
tuberculosis, lung cancer, and connective tissue disease. At each periodic examination, the history
must be updated to include:
a) History of frequency and duration of exposure to silica since the last examination; and
b) Any signs and symptoms of respiratory disease (e.g., difficulty breathing, cough, sputum, wheezing
and chest pain)
2. Physical Examination
The physical examination is directed primarily at the respiratory and musculoskeletal systems. The
frequency of the periodic examination will depend on the intensity and length of exposure to silica
and must be decided by the examining doctor. It need not be the same for all workers, but it must be
done at least once every five years, beginning 10 years after first exposure with any employer or more
frequently as required by the examining physician.
3. Clinical Tests
Clinical tests aid in the assessment of a worker's fitness for continued exposure to silica. The main
clinical tests are chest X-rays and pulmonary function tests. The requirements for each are specified
in the Code for Medical Surveillance of Silica Exposed Workers. Where respiratory equipment is
required, the physician should also assess whether the worker is fit to use this equipment.
