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
'I just can't believe that it took so long': Body found in wreckage 3 months after deadly fire
A man accused of arson in a January Old Strathcona apartment fire is expected to be charged with manslaughter after a body was discovered in the burned building late last month.
No proof man lied to brother about number of kittens born in litter, B.C. tribunal rules
A man was denied a $5,000 payout from his brother after a B.C. tribunal dismissed his claim disputing how many kittens were born in a litter.
Quebec police hand out hundreds of tickets to Hells Angels and other bikers before 'first run' meeting
Quebec provincial police handed out hundreds of fines to Hells Angels members and other supporting motorcycle clubs who met for their 'first run' in a small town near Sherbrooke, Que.
Feds hope to table foreign interference legislation next week: LeBlanc
Democratic Institutions Minister Dominic LeBlanc says he plans to table legislation this week to help the federal government address foreign interference, but he wouldn't say whether the proposal will include a foreign agent registry.
Auston Matthews skates ahead of Game 7, status unclear with season on the line
Auston Matthews was back on the ice with his teammates Saturday.
Snakes almost on a plane: U.S. TSA discovers a bag with small snakes in passenger's pants
According to an X post by the Transportation Security Administration, officers at the Miami International Airport found the small bag of snakes hidden in a passenger's trousers on April 26 at a checkpoint.
A Chinese driver is praised for helping reduce casualties in a highway collapse that killed 48
A Chinese truck driver was praised in local media Saturday for parking his vehicle across a highway and preventing more cars from tumbling down a slope after a section of the road in the country's mountainous south collapsed and killed at least 48 people.
Russia puts Ukrainian President Zelenskyy on its wanted list
Russia has put Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on its wanted list, Russian state media reported Saturday, citing the interior ministry’s database.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.