Cedar dust contains plicatic acid, and occupational asthma from western red cedar is one of the best-documented occupational lung diseases in British Columbia. It develops over years of exposure, it does not announce itself early, and in a meaningful share of affected workers the symptoms persist long after exposure ends.
Your crews are also breathing softwood dust, diesel particulate from yard equipment and loaders, and - increasingly - wildfire smoke during the summer season. None of it is acute. All of it accumulates.
There is no section of the BC OHS Regulation that requires spirometry, and we will not pretend otherwise. What a mill gets from testing is this: a baseline that records what a worker's lungs were like before they walked into your green chain, and a series that shows whether anyone is declining faster than age alone explains. Without the baseline, any later decline is presumed to be yours.
We already work in this sector - 45 workers at Sigurdson Forest Products in Chilliwack in a single visit.
Mills run shifts and a testing program that ignores that gets 40% participation. We work around your shift change.
We complete 40-70 tests per day and can run alongside hearing testing for forestry and wood products on the same visit.
Baseline and periodic lung function testing for workers around cedar, softwood dust, planer shavings and yard equipment exhaust.
Every test reviewed by a licensed physician, so a flagged result arrives with interpretation rather than a raw number.
We test across shift change so your afternoon and night crews get the same access as days.
We are already in mills and on cut blocks across the Fraser Valley, the Interior and the Island doing hearing conservation work. Spirometry runs on the same day, the same crew list and the same report.
You already have a WorkSafeBC obligation to test hearing where noise exceeds the exposure limits - and a mill comfortably does. Adding spirometry to that same visit means one crew list, one disruption and one invoice instead of two of each.
Hearing testing is mandated in BC and we hold the authorization for it (IAB #436). Spirometry is not mandated, and we will not sell it to you as compliance. We will tell you what your crews are breathing, what the literature says about cedar and softwood dust, and let you decide whether a baseline is worth it. Most mills conclude it is.
Clear Health Group delivers mobile occupational health and RN-led home services across British Columbia - including the Lower Mainland, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, and the BC Interior. Our team travels directly to worksites and homes, eliminating the need for clinic visits.
Currently serving major BC municipalities including:
Clear Health Group supports employers with reliable, structured mobile health services designed to simplify compliance and reduce operational disruption. Families trust our RN-led team for professional in-home care delivered with consistency and clinical oversight.
We recently used Clear Health Group for our company-wide annual hearing testing and respirator fit testing across two locations and two days. … Seamless and professional.
They showed up to our jobsite in Duncan, on time and were well prepared for our team to have their fit tests done on site.
Wonderful experience! Noah was lovely to coordinate with and the testing experience was seamless for our team! Would happily book again for our next test. Cheers!
We got our mask fitting tests done by Amy. Both the service and attitude were excellent! Will definitely call them again for other services!
Great experience with Noah and Catherine. Showing up on time, very professional and on track for the schedule.
Definitely good at their job. Noah and Amy were at our construction job site and did a good job for testing. Helped all our crew on site.
Happy to have booked with Clear Work. Noah & Nina were fast, easy to work with, and readily available. 5/5!
ClearHealth is fantastic. Very accommodating and Noah is an absolute pleasure. Very friendly, quick services, very efficient! Highly recommend.
Friendly, professional and accommodating team! Pleasure to work with.
A great on-site hearing test experience. Katherine was kind, professional, and made the process quick and comfortable.
Overall it was a wonderful experience for the test. Very professional and good consultation regarding hearing loss prevention.
Ammy took my hearing test and it was an awesome experience. She was very professional, kind, and explained everything clearly. The test was done smoothly and I felt comfortable the entire time. I truly appreciate her patience and excellent service. Highly recommended!
Common questions about spirometry in BC sawmills, planer mills and forestry operations.
No. There is no section of the BC OHS Regulation that requires spirometry for wood dust or any other exposure. Where you have an exposure control plan, OHSR 5.54(2)(f) lists health monitoring as an element when required, and spirometry is how most employers meet that. Otherwise it is a voluntary program.
Cedar dust contains plicatic acid, which is a recognised respiratory sensitiser. Occupational asthma from red cedar exposure is well documented in British Columbia, and unlike an irritant reaction it can persist after exposure ends. Crews working cedar are the highest priority group in most mills.
We stay through shift change so afternoon and night crews are tested rather than skipped. For larger operations we schedule across two days or add technicians. Tell us your shift pattern when you book and we will build the day around it.
Yes, subject to access. Mill sites and yards are straightforward. For remote crews we need a place to set up with reasonable access - talk to us about the specific site and we will tell you honestly whether it works.
Yes, and that is how most mills do it. Your crew comes through once for both. See hearing testing for forestry and wood products for how that program runs.
Baseline and periodic lung function testing for crews working cedar, softwood dust and diesel exhaust. Physician-reviewed, shift-aware, and easiest to run alongside your hearing tests.
