TORONTO - It’s too soon to recommend reducing routine protective measures against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in hospitals, as public health authorities have done in a new directive, says the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU).
OPSEU represents 100,000 public employees including professional and/or support staff at about 100 hospitals, ambulance paramedics, and technologists at provincial laboratories. The union is questioning a directive issued yesterday by the Public Health Commissioner and the Security Commissioner reducing the respiratory
protection recommended for hospital workers.
“OPSEU members are in the front lines of this fight,” President Leah Casselman said. “World and Canadian health authorities continue to recommend N95 masks, or, if they are unavailable, surgical masks. Why was it critical for all hospital workers to have N95 masks on Monday, but not on Wednesday? We have seen no new
infection control evidence. Is the real issue a shortage of masks?”
OPSEU says the new directive leaves other protective measures to be used throughout hospitals open to interpretation. The instructions for intensive/critical care and emergency states N95 masks should be used for direct patient contact but ignores any staff moving through the unit, such as lab technologists, x-ray
technologists, food services, clerical - all of whom have work to do in emergency, critical and intensive care, but who may not be physically touching patients. “The new directive does not define ‘direct contact’,” Casselman said.
OPSEU is posting SARS health and safety information for members on its web site. Click here for more information.
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For further information:
David Cox, OPSEU Communications: 416-443-8888 (ext 314); 416-788-9197 cell
Lisa McCaskell, OPSEU Health and Safety Officer 416-443-8888 (ext 772)
