Section 8. Medical
2-8-1. GENERAL
The following
explains methods and procedures for ensuring that employees engaged in the
actual control of air traffic meet the medical requirements of the Office
of Personnel and Management Qualification Standards as outlined by FAAO
3930.3, Air Traffic Control Specialist Health Program, and Title 14 CFR
Part 65 and Part 67. The Regional Flight Surgeon/Assistant Regional Flight
Surgeon (hereinafter referred to as Flight Surgeon) will perform required
examinations or review reports of medical examinations and ancillary tests
to make a determination as to whether medical requirements are met.
Supervisors should obtain the medical opinion of the Flight Surgeon
concerning any employee whose medical condition appears questionable;
details of the problem should be presented to the Flight Surgeon for an
evaluation and determination in accordance with FAAO 3930.3.
2-8-2. MEDICAL CLEARANCE
REQUIREMENTS
a. Personnel
actively engaged in the separation and control of air traffic, including
Traffic Management Coordinators (TMCs) must possess a current medical
clearance. ATCSs assigned to FSSs in Alaska are also required to be
evaluated under and meet the requirements of FAAO 3930.3.
b. If the
facility air traffic manager determines that the permanent staff/support
specialist (SP) must be operationally qualified, then the employee must
possess a current medical clearance.
c. Employees
who do not engage in ATC need not be medically cleared; however, if any
employee is required to infrequently operate a control position, they must
possess a current medical clearance.
d. The
Flight Surgeon in consultation with facility officials may make a
determination that although medical requirements are met, an ATCS should
be temporarily restricted from actual ATC duties. An employee temporarily
prohibited from ATC duties because of required medication or other
questionable medical status may be assigned to temporary administrative
duties dependent upon availability of productive work and the capability
of the employee to do the work.
e. Employees
who possess a current medical clearance are responsible to comply with all
restrictions, limitations, or cancellations of the certificate applicable
to the performance of ATC duties.
2-8-3. SPECIAL
MEDICAL EVALUATIONS
In some cases, the
Flight Surgeon may require additional medical information to determine if
the medical requirements are met and will provide information to facility
officials to arrange appointments for special medical evaluations. Results
of these evaluations will be forwarded to the Flight Surgeon by the
consultant physician.
2-8-4. SPECIAL
CONSIDERATION
a. Personnel
required to possess a current medical clearance may be granted special
consideration if at any time it is determined that medical requirements
are not met. Each case must be considered on an individual basis. The
Flight Surgeon in coordination with the Service Area Director will make a
determination on which management officials may base administrative
action.
b. The
Service Area Director must document all special consideration
determinations and forward copies to System Operations and Safety, System
Safety and Procedures.
2-8-5. USE OF DRUGS AND
SEDATIVES
The following
policy must apply in regard to the use of drugs and sedatives:
a. Personnel
may be assigned to their regular positions of operation within ARTCCs,
terminal facilities, FSSs, even though they are taking innocuous
medication, such as aspirin derivatives, vitamin preparations, nose drops,
skin ointments, and routine immunizations.
b. Personnel
taking either regular or prolonged antihistamines may be assigned to
positions of operation provided individual special considerations are
obtained. These special considerations may be granted on a permanent basis
after it has been determined by the Flight Surgeon that there are no
deleterious effects of the antihistamine or the condition for which it is
being used.
2-8-6. RESTRICTED DRUGS
a. Personnel
ordinarily assigned to an operating position, including those who have
direct supervision of the specialists within the facility, must not use
the types of drugs listed below within a 24-hour period before assumption
of duty:
1. Sedative
type drugs.
2. Tranquilizers.
3. Any
drugs, such as but not limited to antihypertensive agents or duodenal
ulcer medications, which have an effect on the central or autonomic
nervous system.
4. Any other
drug and/or medication likely to affect the alertness, judgment, vision,
equilibrium, or state of consciousness.
b. When the
employee is advised by a physician that adequate treatment of an ailment
will require use of the types of drugs or medication referred to above,
the employee must not perform control duties. If the period of required
treatment by these types of drugs or medication is anticipated by the
physician to exceed 2 weeks (especially if prolonged or permanent
treatment is indicated), the supervisor should promptly obtain the opinion
of the Flight Surgeon concerning the continued utilization of the
employee. The medical determination as to continued operational duty by an
ATCS on medication will be made by the Flight Surgeon after consultation
with the supervisor on a case-by-case basis.
2-8-7. BLOOD DONORS
Personnel must not
be assigned to traffic control duties until at least 12 hours have elapsed
after blood donation.
2-8-8. USE OF ALCOHOL AND OTHER
DRUGS
Standards of
conduct for FAA employees regarding the use of intoxicants are contained
in Human Resource Policy Manual (HRPM), Standards of Conduct. In addition
to conforming to those standards, FG-2152s and FG-2154s must not perform
ATC functions (including FG-2154 duties) or directly supervise personnel
performing these functions within 8 hours after partaking in intoxicants.
2-8-9. MEDICAL
STATUS DETERMINATIONS ON FG-2154s
FG-2154s, Air
Traffic Assistants (ATAs), are not subject to FAAO 3930.3, Air Traffic
Control Specialist Health Program, and 14 CFR Part 65 and Part 67;
however, FG-2154s, because of the importance of their duties, will have a
medical opinion rendered on their abilities to perform the job. This
opinion would be requested when the employee's medical condition appears
questionable or when the individual is taking certain medication. For the
purpose of securing these opinions, para 2-8-5 through para 2-8-8 apply to
FG-2154s. |
