About the Navy Asbestos
Medical Surveillance Program (AMSP)
The AMSP is the largest program
of its kind in the world. The AMSP maintains a record of service members and
civilian employees (primarily Navy but including Army, Air Force, and Coast
Guard) with a history of occupational exposure to asbestos. Enrollment in
asbestos medical surveillance programs is based upon current industrial
hygiene risk assessments and interviews by occupational health
professionals. Elements of the AMSP include a medical history, physical
examination, spirometry, and a chest x-ray. The chest x-ray is evaluated by
specially certified physicians in a process called "B reading." The medical
examination and B reading results are maintained in the AMSP registry by the
Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) Occupational and
Environmental Medicine Division.
Recent Program Changes
Because both the Occupational
Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and National Institute for
Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) have determined that digital X-rays
are suitable for asbestos surveillance, the Navy began accepting digital
images for AMSP B reading. As of March 5, 2014, plain film (conventional)
X-rays are no longer used in the AMSP.
In February 2017, the multipart
(carbon copy) NAVMED 6260/7 (5-90) was replaced by NAVMED 6260/7 (REV SEP
2016). The updated form is available only as a PDF download.