Canada Post changing mask rules for employees; those with respirators required to wear second mask

Canada Post is making changes to the type of masks it is making available for its employees.
In a news release on Thursday, the Crown corporation said it is switching to Level 2 disposable medical masks, which will be given to all Canada Post employees.
"These medical procedure masks are proven to offer high levels of protection against COVID-19. We began deploying Level 2 medical masks in early January 2022 to employees in facilities with higher positive case rates. During that time, we have been working to access additional supplies on a broader scale as part of our practice," the statement said.
The company said it expects all employees to have access to the masks by the end of February. Staff are still encouraged to wear their company-provided mask until the Level 2 masks are in circulation.
Canada Post is also making changes for staff members who wish to wear a respirator-type mask at work.
The company said all respirator devices must require a fit test to be performed by Canada Post, but it noted to perform these with over 50,000 employees will not be "feasible in the short term."
"Starting with three of our major facilities, we will be working with the Local Joint Health & Safety Committee to use these respirators in controlled conditions, with plans to expand further. Respirators will be used for specified higher-risk tasks such as two-person lifts, two people working inside a trailer to unload, and required two-person in-vehicle training."
For staff who still wish to wear a respirator mask at a Canada Post facility, they will be required to wear a company-provided mask on top of their personal respirator.
"This approach ensures that every employee is protected while meeting the external standards and directives developed by experts to ensure employers, like Canada Post, are putting safety first."
This change comes after a Winnipeg employee was sent home for wearing a respirator mask and refusing to wear a company-provided mask that he said provided less protection.
The Canadian Union of Postal Workers previously told CTV News that it has asked Canada Post to provide, "N95 masks or suitable alternatives to all postal workers, and at the very least, allow those who've purchased their own N95 or KN95 masks to wear them."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories

BREAKING Bank of Canada holding key interest rate steady at 5 per cent
The Bank of Canada continued to hold its key interest rate steady at five per cent today, encouraged by evidence that higher rates are helping bring inflation down.
Time names Taylor Swift 'Person of the Year,' saying she 'transcends borders'
Taylor Swift has dominated music charts, broken records and is performing in what is likely to be the highest-grossing tour ever -- and she's now named Time's 'Person of the Year.'
Pass federal gun bill without delay, shooting victim's father urges on anniversary of mass killing
The father of a woman who was fatally shot in October by her former partner is urging senators to pass a federal gun-control bill without delay.
Senators were intimidated, had their privilege breached, Speaker rules
Any attempt to intimidate a senator while in the process of fulfilling their duties is a breach of their privilege, even if the effort is ultimately unsuccessful, the Speaker of the Senate ruled Tuesday.
Florida man, already facing death for a 1998 murder, now indicted for a 2nd. Detectives fear others
A convicted murderer already on Florida's death row for the 1998 slaying of one woman is now charged with a second killing that happened two weeks later, with investigators believing he may be tied to even more deaths.
Norman Lear, producer of TV's 'All in the Family' and influential liberal advocate, has died at 101
Norman Lear, the writer, director and producer who revolutionized prime time television with 'All in the Family' and 'Maude,' propelling political and social turmoil into the once-insulated world of sitcoms, has died. He was 101.
Here is Canada's unseasonably mild December forecast
December is predicted to be unseasonably mild across Canada, thanks to a "moderate-to-strong" El Nino and human-caused warming. Warming and precipitation trends will be stronger in some parts of the country than others, and severe weather is still possible, meteorologists say.
Two Canadian citizens confirmed dead in Antigua: Global Affairs
Global Affairs Canada has confirmed the death of two Canadian citizens in Antigua and Barbuda, news that comes amid reports from local officials that a woman and child drowned last week at Devil’s Bridge.
StatCan: 8 million people, 27% of Canadians, have at least 1 disability
The number of Canadians with at least one disability has doubled in 10 years, a reality that should push governments to help reduce barriers to accessibility, says the head of a human rights organization.