Changes to requirements for personal protective equipment at Mohawk College campuses

Beginning Friday, March 26, Mohawk College is changing the requirements for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) to include the use of college-supplied face masks and face shields. The college has also updated the Daily Health Screening questionnaire that must be completed before coming to campus each day.

The changes to PPE requirements are based on the recommendation of Public Health officials in response to the increase in the number of cases involving the COVID-19 variants of concern being reported in our community. The PPE changes being implemented offer an additional layer of protection against these variants and will help to minimize disruption to face-to-face learning on campus.

The changes and updates are as follows:

Use of college-supplied face masks will be mandatory

Mohawk College will be providing disposable face masks to all students, employees and visitors arriving on campus. You will be required to wear the college-supplied masks at all times while on campus. The masks will be available at the security check-in desks and must be worn while on campus. You may request a new mask at any time. Please continue to wear your own mask while travelling to and from the college. Please refer to the Health Protocols section of our website for information on how to safely put on and remove face masks and other required PPE.

Face shields to be required while in classes and labs until the end of the semester

In addition to wearing a face mask, all students, employees and visitors to campus will be required to wear a face shield while in classrooms and labs, or any space where it is not always possible to maintain a physical distance of 2 metres (6 feet). The requirement to wear face shields along with face masks will remain in place until the end of the Spring/Summer 2021 semester, at which time it will be reviewed. While the college encourages the use of face shields in addition to wearing a face mask at all times while on campus, they are not mandatory in spaces where physical distancing can be maintained such as hallways and common areas.

If you are coming to campus, Mohawk College will provide you with your first face shield free of charge. The face shields will be distributed at a location near the security check-in desks at each campus. If you lose the face shield that has been provided to you, you will receive a replacement, the cost of which will be charged to your account. Students and employees in programs that are required to wear impact-resistant face shields due to occupational health and safety requirements will be provided with PPE that meets these requirements.

Updates to Daily Health Screening Questions

The college has updated the Daily Health Screening questionnaire that all students, employees and visitors to campus are required to complete each day they come to campus, before they arrive on campus. The questionnaire is available on the Mohawk Safety App under the COVID-19 section. It is important that you are honest in your answers in the screening questionnaire. Remember, if you do not pass the screening or if you are experiencing symptoms, do not come to campus. The results of your screening are emailed to you and to Mohawk Security. The questions are also available under the Mandatory Daily Health Screening section of the COVID-19 page on our website: https://www.mohawkcollege.ca/covid-19-coronavirus/campus-access#health-screening.

Health and Safety is everyone’s responsibility

In order for our college to remain compliant with Public Health guidelines, all college protocols and safety measures need to be followed. Mohawk expects all students and employees to recognize the impact of their actions and to prioritize the health and safety of all community members. Students and employees who do not comply with these necessary Public Health and safety standards will be managed through the Student Behaviour Policy and Human Resources, respectively.

You can find college information, updates and support contacts related to COVID-19 on the Mohawk College COVID-19 website.

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