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
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.