The Brevard Technical Journal

Occupational & environmental health support services firm maintains consistent growth
CHS has extensive experience with government standards and regulations for industries from construction to electronics to hazardous waste

by Kathy Hagood
Brevard Technical Journal

Joe Mignogna MD, MPH, Medical Director at the Occupational Health Building and Marilyn Poss, Medical Clinic Operations Manager are shown in the stress test room at CHS. Employees are tested here to insure appropriate fitness for physically demanding jobs. Photo by Tim Shortt, © 2004.

Comprehensive Health Services continues to build its Space Coast operations as its government division wins large health-and-safety contracts and its commercial business heats up locally.

While the Cape Canaveral operations of the Vienna, Va.-based company in the past primarily focused on building its occupational and environmental health business with government agencies and Fortune 200 companies, it's now extending its marketing efforts to include smaller businesses in the area.

The new impetus will interest local companies that are seeking occupational and environmental health support by a company boasting extensive experience with government standards and regulations for industries from construction to electronics to hazardous waste.

Another benefit CHS offers is a modern tracking system that can be accessed by clients.
Oleander Power in Cocoa, for example, which maintains a small workforce in the area, depends on CHS for employee exams and training.

"The benefit with CHS is that you not only get the services they offer, but also their knowledge base. If I have a question about changes in regulations, I know they will be able to answer it," said Patty Dorton-Boyd, office manager with Oleander Power.

Formed in 1975, CHS has consistently maintained a 20 to 30 percent growth rate in recent years, according to senior managers. Annual revenues for the privately held company are at about $50 million.

The use of "comprehensive" in the company's name is telling. CHS offers a wide spectrum of services, including training, that foster employee well being and meet the employer's need to abide by regulations and improve productivity.

Those services include pre-employment, health maintenance and disability exams; drug screening; emergency response and care; fitness and wellness; ergonomics; employee assistance and workplace safety programs; industrial hygiene; sanitation; health physics; and environmental protection.

"If you look at the big picture, we basically can cover all aspects of employee health and safety," said Gary Palmer, senior vice president of the government sector. The sector is based in the company's offices in the Sheldon Cove business center in Cape Canaveral.

CHS has been providing occupational and environmental services to the Cape Canaveral Spaceport as a Joint Base Operations Support subcontractor since 1998. CHS staff support the occupational health clinics at the spaceport, provide environmental health services and manage the temporary storage of hazardous waste among other contract functions.

"The JBOSC contract was our first major foray into Florida. We've done a lot more business in the state since then," Palmer said.

Palmer's sector has occupational medicine contracts with the Transportation Security Administration, Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Postal Service, the Department of the Interior and National Park Service among others.

Those contracts are supported by the company's network of 10,000 physicians and clinics nationwide as well as a traveling occupational health team.

"We have a group of health professionals who specialize in the type of exams our clients need for their employees. It just makes sense for us to maintain a mobile team," Palmer said.

CHS purchased and renovated a local occupational health clinic in Cape Canaveral in 2002. The clinic has provided medical exams and drug testing for employees of various cruise lines, SeaRay Boats and Oleander Power among others.

"We specialize in occupational medicine, so we are able to keep abreast of all the various regulations that apply to a particular employer," said Dr. Joseph Mignogna, the clinic's medical director. "We also are able to schedule appointments so that employees don't have to sit in a waiting room for longer periods before their exam."

CHS employs about 200 workers at the spaceport, the CHS clinic, its regional offices and a small warehouse. The company employs about 500 workers in all its operations.

Senior management intends for CHS to maintain its current growth rate of 20 percent and more each year.
While much of that growth will be fueled by government contracts, a percentage will come from companies in Brevard and the Orlando area.

"Many businesses grow locally and then nationally. We're doing it the opposite way," said James Hesketh, CHS environmental health and safety coordinator.

For more information on CHS, visit http://www.chsmedical.com/.