Good News!
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has called for universal respirator use in healthcare settings & when performing patient care outside of healthcare settings (eg – in the home) in the latest edition of CSA Z94.4, Selection, use and care of filtering respirators.
Canadian Standards Association (CSA) has called for universal respirator use in healthcare settings & when performing patient care outside of healthcare settings (eg – in the home) in the latest edition of CSA Z94.4, Selection, use and care of filtering respirators.
How you can help:
The draft CSA Z94.4 Standard is now out for Public Review until August 19, 2025.
Please weigh in with your positive, constructive comments at .
Public Review comments are open to everyone who registers.publicreview.csa.ca/Home/View/2256…
The draft CSA Z94.4 Standard is now out for Public Review until August 19, 2025.
Please weigh in with your positive, constructive comments at .
Public Review comments are open to everyone who registers.publicreview.csa.ca/Home/View/2256…
The draft Standard embodies the Precautionary Principle.
In the absence of risk analysis, N95s are required because healthcare spaces & activities involve daily HCW exposure to Risk Group 2 (RG 2) pathogens like Influenza and RG3 pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, often unknown.
In the absence of risk analysis, N95s are required because healthcare spaces & activities involve daily HCW exposure to Risk Group 2 (RG 2) pathogens like Influenza and RG3 pathogens like SARS-CoV-2, often unknown.
PAPRs are required for known or suspected lethal RG4 pathogens like Ebola.
PAPRs are also to be provided for HCWs who request them for reasons of comfort, fit or better protection.
PAPRs are also to be provided for HCWs who request them for reasons of comfort, fit or better protection.
Respiratory protection exemptions:
Respirators are not required for common non-pathogenic RG1 organisms like OC43 (the common cold).
Respirators are not required when RG2 and RG3 risk is low as determined by risk analysis by a Qualified Person.
Respirators are not required for common non-pathogenic RG1 organisms like OC43 (the common cold).
Respirators are not required when RG2 and RG3 risk is low as determined by risk analysis by a Qualified Person.
Respirators are not required in Exempt Zones that have been engineered or otherwise determined to provide low risk of exposure, equivalent to wearing a respirator in a contaminated space, by a Qualified Person.
Access:
A variety of respirator models and sizes are to be provided.
Respirators are to be provided at all entrances, nurses stations and outside of patient rooms.
Patients and visitors are encouraged, but not mandated, to also wear respirators.
A variety of respirator models and sizes are to be provided.
Respirators are to be provided at all entrances, nurses stations and outside of patient rooms.
Patients and visitors are encouraged, but not mandated, to also wear respirators.
Impact:
In Canada, approximately 1/3 of respiratory infections in healthcare are due to transmission in the healthcare facility.
In Canada, approximately 1/3 of respiratory infections in healthcare are due to transmission in the healthcare facility.
While CSA Z94.4 is an Occupational Health & Safety (OHS) Standard intended to protect workers, universal respirator use will also protect patients, visitors and local communities.
Leadership:
This will be the world’s first National Standard to require precautionary, universal respirator use in healthcare.
It may inspire other countries to follow suit.
This will be the world’s first National Standard to require precautionary, universal respirator use in healthcare.
It may inspire other countries to follow suit.
Cost:
Hospitals, provincial governments & federal government warehouses are overstocked with hundreds of millions of respirators due to expire shortly.
They are already bought and paid for.
The cost to recycle or send them to landfill outweighs the cost of using them.
Hospitals, provincial governments & federal government warehouses are overstocked with hundreds of millions of respirators due to expire shortly.
They are already bought and paid for.
The cost to recycle or send them to landfill outweighs the cost of using them.
Opposition:
The usual anti-mask / anti-airborne leaders in IPAC and Infectious Disease who have long waged a campaign against precautionary use of N95s have taken aim to oppose the new CSA National Standard starting with a petition opposing CSA Z94.4.
The usual anti-mask / anti-airborne leaders in IPAC and Infectious Disease who have long waged a campaign against precautionary use of N95s have taken aim to oppose the new CSA National Standard starting with a petition opposing CSA Z94.4.
Support:
It’s important that supporters weigh in on CSA’s precautionary approach to respiratory protection both publicly and through the official CSA Public Review process.
It’s important that supporters weigh in on CSA’s precautionary approach to respiratory protection both publicly and through the official CSA Public Review process.
Share this information widely.
Show your public support for CSA Z94.4 and the precautionary, universal use of respirators in healthcare through media, social media and word of mouth.
Show your public support for CSA Z94.4 and the precautionary, universal use of respirators in healthcare through media, social media and word of mouth.
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