DOT PHYSICALS
WHAT IS A DOT PHYSICAL?
Are you a commercial driver? If yes, you would understand how rigorous the demands of your job can be! You’ll require a Department of Transportation (DOT) physical that is a health examination mandated by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) for commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. A DOT physical helps determine if a driver is physically, mentally, and emotionally fit to operate a commercial vehicle.
Commercial drivers are safety-sensitive employees; they perform a job that can impact their own safety and the public’s safety. Employers of commercial drivers must comply with federal regulations for DOT physicals.
DOT physicals are essential for drivers who:
- Transport hazardous materials that require the vehicles to display a hazmat placard.
- You are a pain to operate motor vehicles that carry more than eight people.
- You operate motor vehicles that carry more than 15 people.
- You operate motor vehicles that have a gross combination weight rating of over 10,000 pounds.
WHAT HAPPENS DURING A DOT PHYSICAL
The DOT physicals will include a health history review of the driver by a certified medical examiner (CME). The CME will also check the driver’s vital signs and perform a thorough examination, evaluating a number of health-related categories, such as:
- General appearance
- Extremities
- Lungs and chest
- Heart
- Gait or poor posture
- Eyes and ears
- Mouth and throat
- Nervous System
- Back and Spine
- Circulatory system
Upon exam completion, the CME will report the results to the National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME). Certified drivers will receive a copy of the medical examiner’s certificate (MEC), or DOT medical card.
SLEEP APNEA TESTING
The Department of Transportation does not require sleep apnea testing as part of the DOT physical; however, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) does grant certified medical examiners the discretion to recommend testing and treatment for a condition such as sleep apnea if the examiner believes the condition can interfere with the driver’s ability to safely operate a commercial vehicle.
WHAT EMPLOYERS SHOULD KNOW
- Only a CME can administer a DOT physical.
- A DOT physical is required when a driver operates a CMV across state lines (i.e., interstate driving).
- Employers of intrastate drivers (i.e., drivers who stay within one state) are subject to the physical qualification regulations of that specific state.
- The National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners (NRCME) has a current list of CMEs.
On passing the DOT physical you get the certification to be behind the wheel of the commercial vehicle. This certification lasts between 3 months to 2 years depending upon the health of the driver. This will also certify the possibility of not passing DOT Physical due to the health conditions holding back the drivers from being at peak performance.