CDP constructs new medical screening clinic
Tiffany Bush, CDP occupational health nurse, discusses the layout of the center’s new medical clinic, which should be complete next month.
The CDP will soon open a medical clinic in its Chemical, Ordnance, Biological and Radiological Training Facility.
The clinic will perform mandatory annual medical screenings of staff as well as required testing of students who train in the facility.
Employees who routinely wear certain types of personal protective equipment (PPE) must undergo an annual physical exam as part of OSHA’s Respiratory Protection Program. OSHA also requires individuals who wear respirators in the performance of their duties, including training, to undergo a medical clearance process before donning and after doffing the equipment.
CDP employees currently travel offsite for medical screenings and health assessments, while post-training bloodwork for students is drawn in a hallway of the facility. When the new clinic is complete, these activities will be conducted onsite and in a more formal setting.
The clinic will consist of four rooms, two of which are new additions, including a testing bay. It will be equipped with a vision screener, an electrocardiogram to test for heart conditions, a spirometry to test for lung and breathing issues and an audiometric booth to perform hearing tests.
“Medical screening is a critical part of the training conducted at the CDP. We’re very excited about this new capability,” said Tiffany Bush, the CDP’s occupational health nurse.
Construction on the clinic began in 2020. It is expected to conclude next month.