Canada Post moving to surgical masks for all employees

The Canada Post logo is seen on the outside the company's Pacific Processing Centre, in Richmond, B.C., on Thursday June 1, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Canada Post is now offering employees upgraded medical procedure masks for their shifts and anyone wishing to wear their own mask will have to double up.

In a statement on Thursday, a spokesperson for Canada Post said the move away from “three-ply reusable cloth masks, or disposable medical masks” is part of the company’s “ongoing efforts to enhance pandemic safety measures.”

“The mandatory face coverings practice, using company-provided masks, has been an important part of our efforts to keep employees safe through the pandemic,” the statement noted. “The move to Level 2 medical masks will offer greater protection for employees while continuing to meet or exceed PHAC standards.”

Canada Post began offering these masks in early January for employees in facilities with high rates of COVID-19 infections, but now plans to distribute six million of these masks companywide by the end of February.

“To date, these masks have been well-received by employees due to their ease of use and added protection,” the statement noted.

Last week, news broke that Canada Post employees could face unpaid leave if they brought in their own N95 mask and refused to wear the company issued cloth mask, even though an N95 is anupgrade in terms of safety.

Employees are still required to wear masks that the company offers and anyone wishing to bring in their own mask will have to wear a company issued one on top.

“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,” the statement noted.

Masks that require a respirator, such as an N95, will be available, but only for employees completing “higher-risk tasks,” such as activities that require two employees in close proximity.

“With over 50,000 employees in workplaces across the country, the requirement to safely use respirators with fit tests is not feasible in the short term,” the statement indicated.

“Starting with three of our major facilities, we will be working with the Local Joint Health and Safety Committee (LJHSC) to use these respirators in controlled conditions, with plans to expand further.”