DOT Physical

In a DOT physical, each employee must be able to handle the physical aspects of the job, sometimes intense schedules, and the stress of driving in different conditions. A DOT physical is a requirement for any employee who:

• Transports hazardous materials in vehicles displaying a HAZMAT sign
• Drives a vehicle that carries eight or more people
• Operates a vehicle that weighs 10,000 pounds or more

Upon successful completion of a DOT physical, drivers get a medical certificate that is good for a year—unless a physical or mental condition requiring more frequent testing is found. Your employee may need to be tested more often if they have certain conditions.Examples of these include:

• Diabetes mellitus
• Hypertension (high blood pressure)
• Heart disease

These are serious conditions that go beyond occupational health and safety. Employees should be encouraged to get medical treatment and adopt healthier lifestyles to manage these life-threatening medical issues.

DOT physicals involve two parts:

1. Employees start by providing a complete medical history. We make it easy with a medical history form that guides employees through:
   • Medications currently taken along with dosage information
   • Past surgeries
   • Habits using alcohol, tobacco, and other substances
   • Medical conditions and current treatments
   • Health symptoms
   • Doctors’ names and addresses
2. Next, employees will have in-person employment physical that covers:
   • Hearing that is good enough to hear a loud whisper from 5 feet away, which equates to hearing loss of less than 40 decibels. The exam will also look for tympanic membrane punctures or scars. Hearing aids are permitted.
   • Vision to verify at least 20/40 acuity and a minimum of 70 degrees peripheral vision for each eye. The exam will also look for cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration and other conditions. Corrective lenses are permitted.
   • Heart and circulation exams measuring blood pressure and pulse rate, uncovers heart murmurs and irregular sounds, and detects vascular abnormalities with the carotid artery and varicose veins. Pacemakers are permitted.
   • Urinalysis to test for blood sugar, presence of drugs testing and other issues.
   • Lung and chest exam to look for breathing problems, cyanosis, and other respiratory issues.
   • Musculoskeletal exam for potentially impaired limbs, spinal problems, limited range of motion, tenderness, and others.
   • Neurological issues that affect driving, such as equilibrium, speech difficulties, ataxia, asymmetric deep tendon reflexes and the like.
   • A physical exam covers everything above, as well as general appearance, mouth and throat for problems swallowing and other irregularities, abdomen and digestive system, and potential hernias.

We perform DOT physicals with licensed medical examiners listed in the FMCSA National Registry. We stay current with all DOT physical rules and regulations so you can be sure to be compliant. We provide complete and updated forms:

• Revised Medical Examination Report (MER) form MCSA-5875
• Revised Medical Examiner’s Certificate (MEC) form MCSA-5876
• Revised Medical Examination Results form MCSA-5850

Most employee health conditions are treatable and manageable. Some, however, are severe enough to create serious workplace health and safety concerns. These may disqualify workers:

• Uncorrectable vision issues
• Deafness
• Narcolepsy
• Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
• Epilepsy
• Severe heart or lung disease