SAFETY
PPE During a Pandemic
Staying safe amid low supply
of high demand items
Submitted by the Construction Safety Association of Manitoba
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to evolve,
demand for some pieces of personal protective
equipment (PPE) has heightened – such as gloves,
masks and eye/face protection – as public health
continues to build its supply.
“Supply levels and demand (of PPE) continues to be a challenge
and changes day-by-day depending on the area of need,” said
Lanette Siragusa of Shared Health during one of Manitoba’s daily
COVID-19 updates in April.
Throughout the spring, Shared Health and the Province of
Manitoba called for donations of PPE. The Construction Safety
Association of Manitoba (CSAM) suggested that whenever
possible, construction companies donate any excess stock of PPE
items, such as N95 masks.
However, due to high demand this means companies might not
have access to the masks they are accustomed to using or purchasing.
While alternatives like cloth face coverings or homemade masks
might help reduce the spread of viruses like COVID-19, there are
many instances – for example, when working with silica dust –
where proper respirators will be required by task or legislation.
“N95 masks, in many cases, are the minimum required protection,”
said CSAM director of operations Derek Pott. “It means that
95 per cent of particulates are filtered from the air, but you can also
get N99, N100, R99 or R100. There are so many options.”
The Construction Safety
Association of Manitoba
suggested that whenever
possible, construction
companies donate any excess
stock of PPE items, such as
N95 masks.
ANUCHA RUENIN/123RF BUILDING RURAL MANITOBA | 53