Help get a national standard on N95s (and other respirators) into BC law

Banner image showing 3 different workers wearing N95 respirators. Text reads: Tell WorkSafeBC to use the newest standard for N95s and other respirators. Give written feedback by Sept 26 + Or register to speak at the virtual public hearings on Sept 24

Thank you to everyone who took part in the public feedback process about an improved national standard on respirators in the workplace (including healthcare)! Hot on the heels of this campaign, we have another vital advocacy opportunity: one that could help get this standard implemented right here in BC.

What’s happening?

WorkSafeBC is revising BC’s regulations (laws) about workplace health and safety. This includes updating which editions of safety standards they use – including CSA standard Z94.4, the one about respirators in the workplace!

However – because the newest (2025) edition of Z94.4 isn’t finalized yet, they plan to use the soon-to-be-outdated 2018 edition instead. This edition doesn’t include the latest science on airborne transmission, and it doesn’t require N95s by default in healthcare settings – unlike the proposed 2025 edition.

A screenshot of the WorkSafe BC proposed amendments for Part 8: Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment, and Part 31: Firefighting, in the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Part 8: Personal Protective Clothing and Equipment Respirators Section 8.33 (1) The employer, in consultation with the worker and the occupational health and safety committee, if any, or the worker health and safety representative, if any, must select an appropriate respirator in accordance with CSA Standard CAN/CSA Z94.4.93, Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators. The standard version is crossed out and replaced with the following highlighted and bold text: CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z94.4-18, Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators. There is more text which reads: Selection 8.33 (2) Only a respirator which meets the requirements of a standard acceptable to the Board may be used for protection against airborne contaminants in the workplace. Explanatory Notes: The purpose of the proposed amendment is to replace the reference to the 1993 edition of CSA Standard Z94.4 with a reference to the 2018 edition of the standard. This regulatory amendment will clarify stakeholders' obligations, remove redundancy, and provide consistency with the standards referenced in Parts 8 and 31 of the OHSR.

Why does this matter?

Standards are considered “best practice”, but aren’t mandatory unless they’re written into law. Getting the 2025 edition of Z94.4 into regulation would mean workplaces have to follow the relevant provisions – which hopefully, will include N95s in healthcare!

How to help: 

Tell WorkSafeBC you want them to include the 2025 edition of CSA Z94.4 in BC’s OHS (occupational health and safety) regulation. 

Since the new edition is still being finalized, WorkSafe can either:

  1. Delay updating the wording about this standard until the 2025 edition is out, or
  2. Upgrade to the 2018 edition for the time being, but review and include the 2025 edition as soon as it’s released.

There are two ways to take action:

  1. Submit written online feedback here by Friday, Sept 26 at 4:30 PM.
  2. Register to speak at one of the two virtual public hearings on Wednesday, Sept 24. 

I am concerned that Section 8.3 (Respirators) specifically references CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z94.4-18, Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators. You may not be aware that this standard is, itself, currently up for review. The draft standard has recently closed and will be updated (relatively) soon.

CSA Standard CAN/CSA-Z94.4-25, Selection, Use, and Care of Respirators and will be a significant advancement on CAN/CSA-Z94.4-18. While CAN/CSA-Z94.4-18 is certainly an improvement on the currently referenced standard, it is outdated and the new standard should be considered ASAP.

If you cannot wait to update Section 8.3 to bring it into alignment with the current science on airborne pathogens, I would encourage you to do another round of updates for your standard as soon as the 2025 version of the CSA standard is approved to bring this critically important standard up to date.

Note: WorkSafeBC does not use broad, catch-all language in regulation, like citing “the most current edition of this standard, whatever it is”. They need to specify which edition of a standard they’re using, which is why we recommend either telling them to 1) delay the update, OR 2) proceed, but upgrade to the 2025 edition as soon as it’s out.