Allowing teachers to bring own PPE to class creates 'additional operation burden', OCDSB staff say

The Ottawa-Carleton District School Board. (Tyler Fleming / CTV News Ottawa)

OTTAWA -

Ottawa's public school board warns allowing staff to bring their own personal protective equipment to school would create an "additional operational burden and risk" for the board.

The Ottawa Carleton District School Board will vote Tuesday evening on a motion from Trustee Justine Bell to allow staff to obtain their own Health Canada approved respirator/face mask for school instead of using a board supplied face mask.

"That education staff be permitted to obtain their own Health Canada approved respirator if desired. If this option is taken by staff they must follow application and removal guidelines stipulated by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS)," says Bell's motion to allow staff to bring their own Health Canada-approved respirators and face masks.

The motion states that education staff who elect to wear the ministry-provided medical masks will continue to have masks provided to them.

School boards provide staff and school bus drivers, school bus monitors and student aides with required PPE, including medical masks, eye protection and other PPE based on their specific role/job functions.

Ottawa Public Health has not recommended N95 respirators for general use in schools.

In a memo to Trustees, OCDSB Director of Education Camille Williams-Taylor and Superintendent of Human Resources Janice McCoy say the PPE is the "measure of last resort in the hierarchy of controls" to protect workers, which includes daily screening, improved ventilation, hand hygiene and limiting high-risk contacts.

The memo notes employees are required to use the PPE that has been provided to them.

"Wearing the PPE provided by the employer ensures that all staff have appropriate medical-grade, clean and effective PPE to complete the work required and remain safe at work," said the memo.

"At this time, it would be operationally challenging to provide proper oversight to ensure that PPE, such as N95 or KN95 masks, purchased by individual staff members meet the necessary health and safety standards or have been authorized for use by Health Canada."

The memo states that "without proper oversight", there is concern staff could purchase what is perceived to be enhanced PPE from "unreliable sources" that do not meet the minimum standards for COVID-19 protection.

The PPP provided to OCDSB employees includes:

• American Society for Testing and Materials (“ASTM”) rated (level 1 or 2) medical masks;
• Eye-protection (face shield/safety glasses/goggles depending on the task being performed and preference);
• Gowns (as needed) - for staff working with high-risk/medically fragile students;
• Gloves (as needed)