Masks no longer mandatory for workers outside during extreme heat: CNESST
Surgical masks and other masks of "quality" are no longer mandatory for workers who are outdoors during periods of extreme heat, "even if the physical distance of one metre cannot be respected," the Commission des normes, de l'équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) announced Monday.
The temporary exception will be valid when a heat warning is issued by Environment Canada. It will end when temperatures drop below 30 degrees Celsius.
"Due to summer heat waves and the risks associated with excessive heat, we have made the decision, in collaboration with the CNESST and public health authorities, to allow the removal of masks in the workplace," said Labour Minister Jean Boulet.
The CNESST defines a "quality" mask as either a medical mask, a mask certified by the Bureau de normalisation du Québec (BNQ) or a respiratory protection device equipped with a particle filter.
The CNESST is also reminding companies to allow employees to have more frequent breaks, as well as provide places and means for refreshment.
As of June 7, the CNESST no longer requires the wearing of masks in workplaces that are zoned yellow or green, indoors or outdoors, provided that there is a physical distance or a physical barrier.
It is still mandatory to wear a mask when a regulations not related to COVID-19 demands it, such as in the presence of asbestos or silica.
For the general public, officials still recommend masks or face coverings be worn by people of different bubbles unless they are physically separated by one metre or are involved in swimming or water sports.
-- This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Aug. 2, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.