By Teri Burns
Mobile Safety Consultation has now added antibody testing for COVID-19 to their list of testing services and have been providing these tests since May 4.
“We have been doing tests actively each week,” said Sandy Ballard, co-owner of the business.
“It started off slow, but more people are hearing about it and doing it,” she said, adding, “It has been giving patients the info they need to either get back to work or ease their mind.”
Ballard said the company has done testing for its regular clients as well as individuals who are willing to pay the out-of-pocket cost.
“With Phase One in place and more people knowing we provide the service, I anticipate more testing,” she said of the phased-in opening of businesses across New Mexico.
Ballard opened Mobile Safety Consultation, LLC., in 2008 with co-owner Rachel Lassiter-Ballard. They primarily provide services to the oilfield, businesses that need drug and alcohol testing and semi-truck drivers who need testing for the Department of Transportation.
The company provides safety training, drug and alcohol testing, DOT and NON physicals, bloodwork and X-rays, occupational medical services, respirator fit testing, fire extinguisher inspection and maintenance and breathing air refills and equipment rental.
They offer 24/7 on-call service and have provided services at their office, the customer’s location, the location of an accident and the hospital emergency room.
The company has remained operational as essential workers throughout the governor’s stay-at-home orders.
“We are following social distancing requirements by only allowing a certain number of folks in the building,” Lassiter-Ballard said of their safety measures during the shutdown. “They must first answer screening questions about COVID-19 and have a normal temperature.”
As for sanitizing their offices, she said, “We do a lot of respiratory testing, so we already had strenuous cleaning policies in place.”
She said they require their employees to wear face coverings, clean equipment immediately after each person, wear proper personal protective equipment and also offer PPE to those being tested if they come without it.
As for the COVID-19 antibody testing, Lassiter-Ballard said the main goal is to have the tests on hand for companies that require testing per company policy in order for employees to return to work and for anyone that wants a personal test and is willing to pay for it out-of-pocket.
“We have been asked to offer this testing by companies who normally use our drug testing services,” she said. “Many are working on implementing a process to get people back to work, and this will be a requirement for some.”
As for private individual testing, Lassiter-Ballard said there will be a cost. “As much as we would like to, we cannot donate this service because of the overhead associated with it,” she said.
Comments