Comprehensive PPE Testing and Certification Now Available to Protect Frontline Workers

(Toronto, October 27, 2020) – As demand for medical-grade personal protective equipment (PPE) continues to increase in the fight against COVID-19, the need to ensure that this equipment is available and safe within Canada is becoming critically important. Until now, there have been no domestic providers of testing and certification services for medical-grade PPE. Today, CSA Group has announced the opening of an accredited, special-purpose laboratory dedicated to testing and certifying the safety of medical-grade PPE.

This new laboratory will be based at CSA Group headquarters in Toronto. It will provide testing and certification of medical-grade PPE, including masks, filtering facepiece respirators, medical gloves, protective drapes and apparel such as surgical and isolation gowns, intended for use across Canada.

“At CSA Group, we are committed to protecting Canadians who are on the front lines facing COVID-19 every day,” said David Weinstein, President and CEO, CSA Group. “The capabilities of our new, state-of-the-art facility are an important step forward in helping to ensure that the critical protective equipment Canadians rely on is safe. We are in this together and we are committed to supporting and protecting healthcare professionals and the public.”

Masks, respirators, gowns, protective drapes and gloves will be subjected to rigorous testing for compliance with the most current, applicable safety standards. Certified products should give confidence to the users of these products – those most likely to be exposed to COVID-19 and at risk of infection – who count on PPE for their safety.

“Manufacturers have been ramping up throughout the pandemic to meet the high levels of demand for PPE,” said Dana Parmenter, Commercial Vice-President, CSA Group. “The establishment of this facility will allow manufacturers to verify the safety of their products right here in Canada, helping to alleviate supply chain issues and provide greater access to PPE. Medical-grade PPE with CSA certification can provide frontline workers, people who are immunocompromised and all Canadians with high-quality protection and added peace of mind.”

CSA Group is also beginning the process of collaborating with stakeholders and government agencies to develop Canadian standards for medical-grade PPE. The combination of a lack of Canadian standards and domestic testing capability has created a health and safety risk affecting all Canadians.

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