Coronavirus safety program

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

The risks associated with the work task (e.g., risk of cutting your hands) or work environment (e.g., risk of falling objects) determines the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Through job hazards analysis and workplace risk assessments, Environmental Health & Safety established PPE requirements.

PPE prevents the spread of COVID-19 to workers who are required to complete work tasks that that necessitates being less than 2 metres from other people when no other control measures are possible. The type of PPE required is dependent on the situation.

The directives below are specific for COVID-19 and are in addition to any PPE required due to the nature of the task (e.g., hard hat, safety shoes).

Reference: CNESST website

WORKING MORE THAN 2 METRES FROM OTHERS

NO personal protective equipment for COVID-19 is required when maintaining the minimum 2 metres of physical distancing from others (colleagues, students, etc.), except where procedure masks (surgical masks) are mandatory.

WORKING LESS THAN 2 METRES FROM OTHERS

The type of personal protective equipment (PPE) required varies depending on the situation. When possible, modify the work task to allow 2 metres of physical distance from others.

WITH A PHYSICAL BARRIER

NO personal protective equipment for COVID-19 is required, except where procedure masks (surgical masks) are mandatory.

WITHOUT a PHYSICAL BARRIER

A procedure mask (surgical mask) is required.

In areas where individuals not wearing procedure masks may be encountered, eye protection is also required.

Eye protection must cover the sides of the eyes, either with side shields or using wrap-around safety glasses. Prescription glasses are not eye protection. See Concordia’s Policy of Personal Protective Equipment.

EXCEPTION

According to the CNESST, a worker can work less than 2 metres from others FOR A MAXIMUM of 15 MINUTES without any procedure mask (surgical mask), however always respecting hand hygiene and respiratory etiquette guidelines.

Example: When you can maintain at least 2 metres of physical distance from others when moving around in the workplace that is NOT an indoor public space no mask is required.

RISK ASSESSMENT

For those activities requiring employees to work less than 2 metres from each other or from students, without a physical barrier, a risk assessment must be carried out to ensure that the appropriate personal protective equipment is used. Contact EHS at extension 4877 or ehs@concordia.ca.

Environmental Health & Safety (EHS) assessed all In-Person Teaching Activities in order to ensure that these essential academic activities can take place in a safe manner in the context of COVID-19. The assessment included visits to the teaching space, calculating the capacity of the teaching space given the physical distancing directives and understanding the activities that would take place. EHS established the maximum capacity for each course and activity in each teaching space such that students will be able to maintain 2 metres of physical distancing from one another and therefore no face covering or personal protective equipment to prevent the spread of COVID-19 is required for students.

The In-Person Teaching Activities – Student Directives for students describe what is expected and permitted during In-Person Teaching Activities on campus. These preventative measures are applicable for the majority of In-Person Teaching Activities. For a limited number of courses and activities, additional safety measures are required. Departments will inform students enrolled in those courses of the additional safety measures.

• In-Person Teaching Activities – Student Directives (EHS-DOC-183) updated February 11, 2021

This Procedure for Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Case for Students defines roles and responsibilities in the event that there is a suspected or confirmed COVID-19 worker case on university property and describes the procedure that must be immediately implemented in order to assist the individual experiencing the symptoms and to prevent the spread of the virus on campus and beyond.

This procedure meets the requirements of the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) as indicated in the « Guide de normes sanitaires en milieu de travail pour le réseau de l’enseignement supérieur – COVID-19 ».

• Procedure for Suspected or Confirmed COVID-19 Case (EHS-DOC-173) updated February 11, 2021