NTSB advises Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
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Press Release Summary:
NTSB made recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, including implementation of a program to identify commercial drivers at risk for obstructive sleep apnea. Drivers would be required to provide medical evidence of evaluation/treatment before being granted unrestricted medical certification (H-09-15). Another recommendation emphasized drivers who have OSA and are effectively treated should be routinely approved for continued medical certification (H-09-16).
Original Press Release:
NTSB Safety Recommendations H-09-15 and -16
The National Transportation Safety Board makes the following recommendations to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration:
Implement a program to identify commercial drivers at high risk for obstructive sleep apnea and require that those drivers provide evidence through the medical certification process of having been appropriately evaluated and, if treatment is needed, effectively treated for that disorder before being granted unrestricted medical certification. (H-09-15) Develop and disseminate guidance for commercial drivers, employers, and physicians regarding the identification and treatment of individuals at high risk of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), emphasizing that drivers who have OSA that is effectively treated are routinely approved for continued medical certification. (H-09-16)
http://ntsb.gov/recs/letters/2009/H09_15_16.pdf
The complete recommendation letter is available on the Web at the URL indicated above. The letter is in the Portable Document Format (PDF) and can be read using the Acrobat Reader 5.0 or later from Adobe (http://www.adobe.com/prodindex/acrobat/readstep.html).
An archive of recommendation letters is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/recs/letters/letters.htm.
Electronic versions of letters may or may not include enclosures; however, related publications, accident briefs, and aviation accident synopses may be found on the NTSB website.
