May 6 - Air Canada is marking North American Occupational Safety and Health Week (NAOSH) by highlighting the range of health and safety initiatives it has implemented to protect employees during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The airline’s leadership position in using technology has enabled it to share its experience and knowledge to mentor other Canadian companies in scaling up similar initiatives. This includes the use of rapid antigen testing in the workplace, developed via Canada’s Creative Destructive Lab (CDL), as an important tool in applying a layered approach to employee health and safety.

 

Air Canada has implemented workplace COVID-19 safety protocols during the pandemic using a phased approach that begins prior to employees leaving home for work. These initiatives include:

 

Prior to going to the workplace

Since the beginning of the pandemic, Air Canada has required all employees to conduct a self-wellness assessment from home prior to leaving for the workplace. An online-tool has been developed for the self-wellness assessment which has now been deployed to various work teams, with further roll-out planned.

 

Upon entering the workplace

As a member of the CDL's Rapid Screening Consortium, Air Canada has implemented voluntary rapid antigen screening in 12 locations across 16 work groups and is scaling this testing across other locations as provincial health authorities approve their use.

 

In the workplace

Air Canada has piloted Tracescan Wearables at its 24-hour system operations control centre, which vibrate when employees are less than six feet apart for more than ten minutes and utilize Bluetooth technology to facilitate objective contact tracing if required. Tracescan Wearables are planned to be further deployed to other work locations.

 

Vaccination clinics in Montreal for employees

Air Canada is working with partners Bombardier, Aéroports de Montréal (ADM) and Biron Groupe Santé to host upcoming Montreal vaccination clinics for eligible employees and their immediate family members. Clinics opening on May 6 and May 13.

 

Vaccination clinics in Toronto for employees to open soon

Air Canada is partnering with the Ontario government and Region of Peel to open a clinic facilitating vaccinations later this month for eligible employees and Peel Region residents including immediate family members.

 

The airline is recalling some furloughed employees for non-medical employment opportunities at the Montreal and Toronto vaccination clinics. Air Canada continues to approach other provincial governments for similar opportunities.

 

Air Canada has been at the forefront of the airline industry in responding to COVID-19, including being among the first carriers globally to require customer face coverings onboard, proactively provision its crew with PPE, and the first airline in the Americas to check passengers’ temperatures prior to boarding. The airline has provisions for sick leave.

 

The airline partnered with McMaster HealthLabs (MHL), the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and the Government of Canada for a study which has demonstrated the feasibility of airport-based testing to help reduce the length of the required quarantine period.

 

Air Canada also undertook several medical collaborations to further advance biosafety across its business, including with Cleveland Clinic Canada for medical advisory services and, since 2019, with Toronto-based BlueDot for real-time infectious disease global monitoring. It continues to explore other potential partnerships with technology and medical companies to further strengthen its biosafety protocols.

 

 

---

More Travel News:

Expedia and Joe Jonas team up to extend a Helping Hand to tourists
TIAC Tourism Advocacy Update
Travel Agent Appreciation Day Round Up!
March domestic demand sees upsurge but international travel still largely shutdown