MEMBERSHIP
ALERT!
Since
December 2008, individuals who hold a Commercial Drivers License (CDL) are
subject to a Body Mass Index (BMI) evaluations as an objective method for
identifying individuals at high risk for OSA.
Studies in CDL holders have identified that a BMI, a measure of obesity,
of 33kg/m2 is the optimal cut-point to identify, using this information alone
(height/weight), who is likely to have OSA.
In
a study released on January 14, 2008, the FMCSA has determined that there is
substantial data that OSA is associated with an increased risk of crashes in
passenger cars. However, there has been
little study of Commercial Drivers.
While the generalization of the findings may not be conclusive, the findings
allow the opportunity to draw evidence-based conclusions about the relationship
between OSA and motor vehicle crash risk in general.
If
an individual has a BMI index of 33 kg/m2 or greater, they may be conditionally
certified for 1 month pending the findings of a sleep study. The sleep study, usually done in-facility,
should be done within a week of diagnosis.
Individuals recently diagnosed with OSA may be conditionally certified
for 1 month during which time they will be started on CPAP therapy. At the end of this month, they can be
conditionally certified for 3 months if compliance to CPAP is documented in the
two previous weeks. Compliance should be
reassessed at 3 months. If at the
3-month assessment an individual demonstrates treatment compliance, that
individual may be certified for a period of 1 year. If the individual is not in compliance,
their certification may not be renewed or only renewed for a brief period to
allow compliance with therapy to be re-established. The FMCSA also warns that if an individual
stops using their CPAP and is involved in a crash (related to the condition),
then it is likely that the legal community will consider them liable.
President and Business Agent