New federal protective equipment standards announced • Alberta employment minister pressured to change farm safety • New industry-specific MSD courses in Manitoba • New rules for JHSCs in Ontario
FEDERAL
New protective equipment standards announced
The Canadian Standards Association and the federal government have announced Canada’s first national standard for protective equipment for front-line fire, police and paramedic workers. Most first responders in Canada have hazardous material or dangerous goods standards to guide them in responding to a chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear (CBRN) incident. Now, for the first time, emergency services personnel will have a national protective equipment standard specific to CBRN incidents recognized across jurisdictions to guide and protect them in their work. The CAN/CGSB/CSA-Z1610, Protection of First Responders from Chemical, Biological, Radiological, and Nuclear Events standard specifies requirements for the selection, use and care of personal protective equipment for first responders to a CBRN incident. The standard identifies requirements for protective CBRN equipment, such as respiratory protection and whole-body protection. It also addresses the differences between a conventional hazardous material incident and a deliberate CBRN incident to understand how equipment guidelines may differ.
