This guide outlines the risks that infectious agents pose in CUPE workplaces, how infectious agents are transmitted, and more importantly, how risks can be mitigated. It provides workers with information on how to identify and manage these hazards effectively.
 
Although many of the public health regulations put in place during the COVID-19 pandemic have been removed or relaxed, infectious diseases continue to pose health and safety concerns in CUPE workplaces.
Some of our members are exposed to infectious diseases by working closely with infected patients, while others encounter hazards in environments contaminated with pathogens, including outdoor settings.
 
Every jurisdiction has different requirements for infection prevention control programs and related policies. Regardless of local laws, joint health and safety committees and health and safety representatives should develop strategies to help employers establish workplace programs and policies. These initiatives are essential for both preventing exposure to infectious agents and managing disease in the workplace. 
 
Back in 2002-2003, the SARS outbreak revealed significant gaps in Canada’s infectious disease preparedness and public health systems, leading to a public inquiry in Ontario chaired by Justice Archie Campbell. Justice Campbell’s investigation highlighted the lack of proactive measures to protect health care workers during the outbreak.
 
Justice Campbell completed his final report containing his findings and recommendations in December 2006. He strongly advocated for the precautionary principle, emphasizing that “reasonable steps to reduce risk should not await scientific certainty.”
This means we should err on the side of caution and take preventive measures to safeguard workers, even if we don’t yet have proof that something is definitely harmful. CUPE has long endorsed the precautionary principle as an important tenet of workplace health and safety.
 
Almost 15 years later, the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated that lessons from past infectious disease outbreaks such as SARS haven’t been learned. Adequate protective measures, aligned with the precautionary principle, were not sufficiently implemented, exposing workers to potential harm. For example, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information, over 150,000 health care workers were exposed to and infected by COVID-19 during the pandemic. Most of these cases were preventable with rigorous and proactive infection control procedures based on the precautionary principle.
 
CUPE’s guidelines for controlling infectious agents in the workplace emphasize the need to use the precautionary principle and provide practical tips to help protect workers from infectious diseases. No single approach can solve the problem of infectious agents in the workplace. Health and safety committees and health and safety representatives should review the recommendations in this document and decide which are appropriate for their particular situation. By following these guidelines, we can help ensure that CUPE members are as well prepared and as safe as possible. 
 
Find the Health and Safety Guidelines: Controlling Infectious Agents in the Workplace at cupe.ca as well as CUPE’s wide range of health and safety resources on the topics covered in this guide.