Labor Issues

Overview:

Historically, law enforcement in Illinois has traditionally NOT had to deal with the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) or Federal OSHA with regard to respirator regulations. However, in today's world things have changed. ILEAS has been at the forefront of the labor issue since distributing nearly 24,000 thousand AVON respirators in 2003 and more recently with the stockpiling of 138,000 N95 masks for biological emergencies. There have been a multitude of opinions, rumors and misinterpretations regarding labor rules for law enforcement - ILEAS has attempted to cut through the misinformation to provide uniform guidance to Illinois law enforcement. ILEAS has worked with IDOL, the Central District U.S. Attorney, vendors, and Federal OSHA to develop a consistent set of guidelines to assist every chief law enforcement manager in making policy, planning, and budgeting decisions with regard employee respirator use.

Labor Regulation Guidline Matrix:

This page will document all the official activity between ILEAS and the various regulatory agencies regarding respirator labor issues for law enforcement. As a result of that effort, ILEAS has developed a matrix of Illinois Law Enforcement Respirator Regulations. We hope that this tool will be a valuable set of guidelines to support your policy and budgetary decision-making. All you have to do is to read down the first column and choose a policy decision with regard to AVON or N95 mask use. Once you find the situation that best fits your issues, then move along that line to the right to see the requirements with regard to Standard Medical Screening, Annual Training, Annual Fit Testing, Policy, Records, Selection of Respirator and Physical Exam. Each cell in the matrix identifies the OSHA Respiratory Protection Standard 29 CFR 1910.134, annexes, appendices and other references.

For a printable PDF version with hyperlinks to official regulations, click here.

For agencies that want to be in full compliance, ILEAS has developed two tools to assist. The first is the 3M online medical screening service. The second is a series of twenty 1.5 to 2 hour regional "train-the-trainer" sessions to teach fit testing procedures for the N95 masks.

Lens Inserts

When surveyed about how many masks each agency needed, there was a question about how many of those officers needed corrective lens inserts. Hundreds of these "monocles" were distributed around the State. Many departments have called and inquired as to where to get the corrective lenses for these inserts. An arrangement has been worked out between ILEAS and Lenscrafters to provide the lenses at a discount rate for police departments in Illinois. Lenscrafters is offering lenses at a discount from retail prices. The plan requires that the officer or department pay for the lenses at the point of sale.

ILEAS DOES NOT PAY FOR THE LENSES - DO NOT BILL US!

Here is how the program works:

• Go to your local Lenscrafters with the monocle inserts, a valid prescription and this form from Lenscrafters. The ILEAS account number for local Illinois police departments is #7010234. It would be helpful for the local Lenscrafters technicians to have a mask available as well.
• Order the appropriate lenses.
• The local Lenscrafters makes the lenses.
• The officer or department pays for the lenses at the store. The cost of the lenses is significantly reduced compared to normal retail rates.

In case you don't use Lenscrafters, this is additional information that you may want to provide to your vendor.

*******************NOTE********************

ILEAS has no contract with Lenscrafters, is NOT paying for any lens for any department, and is not specifically endorsing or requiring that departments use Lenscrafters. We are merely offering the information about a vendor in Illinois that is willing to help local departments.

N95 Respirators

Recently, in preparation for a potential pandemic flu or other biological emergency, ILEAS has purchased 138,000 N95 respirators. This supply is available to any law enforcement agency in Illinois as a contingency or "backstop" supply if a regional outbreak of some kind occurs and local agencies use up their local supplies. These are the 3M model 8000 N95 mask. For more on that specific mask, click here.

The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has recommended the N95 for public safety first responder use. For more details on the IDPH planning documents and recommendations, please sign onto the secured side of this site with your password and review the "Important Messages" section of your home page. You will find several IDPH planning documents there that will guide you in your planning process.

Medical Screening

The bottom line is that this new era of terrorism and potential pandemic disease, law enforcement is being forced to comply with long-established labor respiratory standards. Managers basically have one choice - full compliance for respirators involving medical screening; or implementing respirators as a "voluntary" or "escape" basis. If you choose the latter, you limit your ability to utilize respirators. For example, you could not require officers to wear AVON masks when deploying tear gas for civil disturbances or during high risk drug warrant service, etc.

Regardless of which path you take, if you issue, or allow to be used, respirators, you still have to have a respirator program, respirator manager, a policy, and fit tests. The most significant difference between the two paths is the requirement to have all employees wearing respirators to submit to medical screening. This requirement does NOT mean they have to be examined by a health care professional - it means they have to complete the standard medical screening form which is then reviewed by a licensed health care professional. Only if they fail the medical screening form, THEN they have to be physically examined.

For those who want the medical screening, ILEAS has negotiated a method of conducting them at a resonable rate. ILEAS has arranged with 3M to provide their online medical screening service for $25 per employee. ILEAS has confirmation from IDOL that the 3M system does in fact meet the 1910.134 medical screening standard. Hundreds of agencies representing thousands of officers from around the country have succesfully used this system. As an ILEAS member, you have access to this system at this price (cost to be borne by your agency, not ILEAS) and can use it for any employee. It is not limited to law enforcement officers or police employees - if you want to expand it to other departments for your municipality or county, you can.

Features of the online system are:

• Method - interactive online questionnaire. Each questionnaire can cover up to 5 sets of respirator profiles. ILEAS has already added the AVON and N95 respirator profiles into the system for everyone. Three additional equipment or environmental profiles can be added by each agency at no expense.

• Time - 10-20 minutes per employee to sign on and complete the questionnaire. Overtime to send an employee to a clinic would virtually be eliminated.

• Clearance Rate - Based on 3M's experience, on average 88% will be immediately cleared by software logic. An additional 9% will be cleared with a physician review. 3% will be recommended for an actual physical exam.

• Cost Savings - The average contract cost for a local medical professional to screen employees is around $60 nationally. for example, if you have 100 employees which would normally be $6,000.00. Using the 3M online system, 97 people will be cleared at $25/per person ($2,425) and 3 people will require additional follow up ($255) for a total cost of $2,680. Additionally, the savings in staff time is immense - 97% of your staff will spend 10-20 minutes at a computer and not off site at a clinic. All records are available to you 24/7 on a secured website. Clearance letters are sent by email or fax, but can also be printed out online.

• Operational Benefits - The Chief or Sheriff can oversee who has and who has not submitted to the medical screening by simply signing online. You get an email reminder for each employee after a year has passed reminding you that they are due for a retest.

An added benefit of this program is that if enough agencies use the online system in Illinois, ILEAS may receive a rebate from 3M. Any rebate will be applied towards the purchase of more AVON masks and canisters. The rebate pricing structure is:

• 2500 to 4999 = $2 each rebated back to ILEAS from 3M. That would buy between 20 and 40 more AVON masks for distribution.

• 5000+ = $4 each rebated back to ILEAS from 3M. That would buy at least 80 more AVON masks for distribution.

Access the 3M Online Medical Evaluation Brochure

Access the 3M Online Medical Screening Procedure