Respiratory infectious diseases

Respiratory infectious diseases can be transmitted in the workplace. As with other risks that may affect the health of workers, workplaces must take the risk of contamination into account in their management of occupational health and safety.

The employer, in collaboration with workers, must identify the risks of transmission of respiratory diseases in their workplace. If they cannot eliminate these risks, they must reduce and control them. They must identify tasks where workers may be exposed to microorganisms responsible for respiratory infectious diseases. Workers must comply with the rules and measures put in place.

Respiratory diseases that may circulate in the workplace include:

• influenza (the flu) 
• COVID 19
• the common cold
• pneumonia
• whooping cough
• measles
• tuberculosis

Mode of transmission

The microorganisms responsible for respiratory diseases usually circulate in the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, sneezes or speaks. These microorganisms usually infect the nose, throat and lungs.

They can also be spread by hands, by contaminated surfaces or objects. If a person touches their mouth, nose or eyes after having contact with an infected person, contaminated surface or object, they could be contaminated.

Preventive measures to be put in place

The CNESST recommends preventive measures in the workplace to prevent and reduce the risk of transmission of these diseases.

To adapt to the particular characteristics of the workplace and the outbreak situation, 2 levels of measures are proposed.

• Basic measures: These preventive measures should be in place at all times in the workplace.
• Additional measures: These measures are suggested as additional preventive measures during a period of high transmission or in the event of a large outbreak. These measures may be applied, in part or in full, depending on the situation.
  • Proximity between workers and clients is an example of a criterion that must be considered when applying additional measures.

You will find the right steps for limiting the spread of respiratory infectious diseases on the Québec.ca site. You can apply them at any time.

Reduce interactions with symptomatic people in the workplace

People with symptoms are part of the chain of transmission of respiratory diseases in the workplace.

Basic measures

To avoid the transmission of diseases, these procedures should be applied.

• Inform workers that if they have a fever, they should not go to work.
• Encourage people to take the steps for limiting the spread of respiratory infectious diseases when they have symptoms resembling these diseases.

Additional measures

• Remind workers of the importance of isolating themselves if they have a fever.
• Exclude workers who have respiratory symptoms from the workplace. The duration of exclusion is 10 days following the appearance of symptoms.

See the adjustments to health measures in the workplace (outside health care settings) (in French only) for all additional measures.

Physical distancing

Basic measures

• Distancing measures, such as physical distancing, physical barriers or wearing a quality mask are not mandatory. However, they are good practices, especially when carrying out tasks in a confined space where there are several workers.
• Wearing a quality mask is a good practice when a person has symptoms of respiratory infectious diseases, such as a cough or sore throat.
  • The types of quality masks are:
    • medical masks that comply with standard ASTM F2100 or EN 14683 Type IIR
    • any respiratory protective equipment (RPE) (in French only) with a particulate filter, as defined in the standard Selection, use and care of respirators (CSA Z94.4 18), such as an N95 or P100 respirator
• If the employer and workers consider it necessary, they should provide designated spaces for workers whose health is vulnerable.

Additional measures

• Encourage remote work (in French only) whenever possible to reduce the number of interactions in the workplace.
  • Remote work is not mandatory. The organization of work and the arrangements for remote work are part of the employer’s right to manage.
• Install quality physical barriers (in French only) (solid partitions) between workstations when they are too close or cannot be spaced apart.
• Organize work methods, for example:
  • keep teams as small and as stable as possible
  • limit in person meetings
  • limit outings and moving about
• Whenever possible, people must maintain a distance of at least 2 metres from others at work, from start to finish. This distance should be maintained during breaks and at lunchtime.
• The employer must provide a quality mask free of charge, and this mask must be worn by workers when:
  • the minimum physical distance of 2 metres cannot be respected
  • there are no physical barriers
• The employer may also continue to provide free, readily available quality masks for workers who would like to continue to wear one, for example because they are at risk or because they have had contact with a sick person.
• Recommend a quality mask be worn when moving about (e.g., common circulation area, corridor, lift), since it is not possible to ensure that the minimum physical distance of 2 metres is respected.
• Depending on the situation, a quality mask is provided by the employer and worn by workers indoors at all times, even if distancing is respected or even if there is a physical barrier. Outdoors, wearing a mask is recommended when the minimum physical distance of 2 metres cannot be respected.
• Inform suppliers, subcontractors, partners and clients of the measures put in place in the company to control risks and make them aware of the importance of complying with them.

Hand hygiene

Frequent hand washing with soap and warm water or with an alcohol based hand rub that contains at least 60% alcohol for at least 20 seconds limits the risk of transmission of respiratory infectious diseases in the workplace.

Hands should be washed:

• when entering or leaving the workplace
• after coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose or touching your nose or mouth
• before and after eating
• after handling a high touch object or surface
• before putting on or taking off a quality mask

Cough and sneeze etiquette

Practicing cough and sneeze etiquette means:

• coughing or sneezing into your bent elbow or a tissue
• blowing your nose into a disposable tissue and throwing it away immediately
• washing your hands frequently
• avoiding touching your mouth, nose or eyes with your hands, regardless of whether or not you are wearing gloves

Hygiene measures with high touch tools, equipment and surfaces

Basic measures

The Règlement sur la santé et la sécurité du travail (RSST) sets out essential environmental health measures, such as:

• Make sure ventilation systems are operating and maintained properly in accordance with the regulatory requirements for the type of establishment and the tasks performed
• Clean sanitary facilities every shift or more frequently and disinfect them daily
• Clean meal areas after each meal and disinfect them daily

Cleaning shared tools and equipment is optional, unless they are visibly dirty. This practice is recommended to limit the spread of microorganisms. 

See available resources for more information about cleaning surfaces. 

Additional measures

• Clean high touch surfaces at least every shift and when they are visibly dirty.
• Clean shared tools and equipment after each shift.

Preventive measures during the transportation of workers

Basic measures

The vehicle’s mechanical or natural ventilation must be optimized, in particular by means of ventilation that must allows for a supply of outside air or by opening windows. 

Additional measures

When 2 or more people use a means of transportation, such as a car, truck, bus or airplane, workers must wear a quality mask at all times.

Reduce the capacity of the means of transportation to avoid any physical contact between passengers.

If a worker’s prescription glasses fog up while they are driving a vehicle, the following preventive measures must be applied:

• maintain a distance of 2 metres or install physical barriers
• limit times when quality masks are not worn to the strict minimum

The employer must ensure that the usual preventive measures are still appropriate. If not, they must modify them to protect their staff against the risk of contamination.

What should you do if you have symptoms or an infection? 

A worker who is experiencing symptoms of a respiratory infectious disease should contact their employer to inform them.

A worker who is likely to develop complications from a respiratory infection due to age, chronic illness or an immunosuppressive condition may discuss this with their employer to determine possible accommodations to their work environment.