(a) Interpretation of spirometry tests. Interpretations will be carried out by physicians or other qualified health care professionals with expertise in spirometry who have all required licensure and privileges to provide this service in their State or Territory. Interpretations must be carried out using procedures and criteria consistent with recommendations in the ATS Technical Standards: Spirometry in the Occupational Setting, pp. 987-990, and the ATS/ERS Interpretative Strategies for Lung Function Tests, p. 950, p. 956 including Table 5, and p. 957 including Table 6 (both incorporated by reference, see §37.98).

(b) Spirometry reports at NIOSH-approved spirometry facilities.

(1) Spirometry test reports must contain the following:

(i) The miner's age, height, gender, race, and weight;

(ii) Numerical values (FVC, FEV6, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, FEV1/FEV6, FET, and PEF) and volume-time and flow-volume spirograms for all recorded expiratory maneuvers; normal reference value set used; and the predicted, percent predicted, and lower limit of normal threshold values;

(iii) Miner position during testing (standing or sitting);

(iv) Dates of test and last calibration check;

(v) Ambient temperature and barometric pressure (volume spirometers); and

(vi) The technician's unique identification number.

(2) NIOSH will notify the submitting facility when to permanently delete or, if this is not technologically feasible for the spirometry system used, render permanently inaccessible all files and forms associated with a miner's spirometry test from its electronic and physical files.

(c) Submission of spirometry results. Facilities must submit results of spirometry tests electronically with content as specified in §37.96(b), completed pre-test screening checklists (found in Spirometry Results Notification Form CDC/NIOSH 2.15), and completed Respiratory Assessment Form (CDC/NIOSH 2.13) within 14 calendar days of testing a miner.

(1) Electronic spirometry test results. Submission of spirometry test results in the form of an electronic data file in a format approved by NIOSH is preferred. Facilities must utilize a secure internet data transfer site specified by NIOSH. Data submission must be performed as specified in the facility's approval. The transmitted spirometry data files must include a variable length record providing all parameters in the format, content, and data structure described by the 2005 ATS/ERS Standardisation of Spirometry, p. 335 including Table 8 (incorporated by reference, see §37.98), or an alternate data file that is approved by NIOSH.

(2) Spirometry test results submitted using the Spirometry Results Notification form. If specified under a facility's approval, spirometry results may be provided using the Spirometry Results Notification Form (CDC/NIOSH 2.15). The form must be completed and submitted electronically, accompanied by image files in a format approved by NIOSH that documents the flow-volume and volume-time curves for each trial reported on the form. The method of electronic submission must be approved by NIOSH and carried out securely as specified for electronic data files in §37.96(c)(1).

(d) Confidentiality of spirometry results. Individual medical information and spirometry results are considered protected health information under HIPAA and may only be released as specified by HIPAA or to NIOSH, as discussed in paragraph (d)(1) of this section, and maintained by the spirometry facility as specified in §37.93(e).

(1) Personally identifiable information in the possession of NIOSH will be released only with the written consent of the miner or, if the miner is deceased, the written consent of the miner's next of kin or legal representative.

(2) To provide on-site back-up and assure complete data transfer, facilities must retain the forms and results (in electronic or paper format) from a miner's test until instruction has been received from NIOSH to delete the associated files and forms or, if this is not technologically feasible, render the data permanently inaccessible.

[81 FR 73288, Oct. 24, 2016]