Ministry of Labour finds subway air quality 'not likely to endanger' workers

cp24.com
By Chris Fox
April 27, 2017

The Ministry of Labour has ruled that the air quality in the city’s subway system is “not likely to endanger” workers, despite a recent study which compared it to Beijing on an average day.

The Ministry of Labour was called in to investigate on Wednesday after three subway operators and one maintenance worker were sent home by management after showing up to their shifts wearing medical masks. In a statement issued Thursday, the TTC said that the Ministry of Labour ruled in its favour following an investigation.

The ruling will seemingly prevent TTC employees concerned about air quality from wearing masks while on the job.

 “The Ministry's ruling confirmed that the TTC met all of its legal and due diligence obligations and that the conditions within the subway didn't warrant employees wearing masks,” the TTC said in the statement. “In other words, the air quality in the subway system is safe and personal protective equipment related to air quality is not required.”

The study, which was published in the journal of Environment Science & Technology on Tuesday, was conducted in 2010-2011 by Health Canada in partnership with the University of Toronto and McGill University.

The study found that the concentration of fine particulate matter in the Toronto subway system was about ten times higher than what a person would experience out on the street in Toronto.

The TTC, however, downplayed the results of the study on Thursday.

The transit agency also took specific issue with the Beijing comparison with CEO Andy Byford calling it “most regrettable” and blaming it for causing “unnecessary alarm for some TTC employees.”

In its statement, the TTC also included a portion of a letter from Health Canada, which seemed to partly back up Byford’s sentiments.

"While the results of this study have been compared to average air quality in Beijing, it is important to note that this comparison can be misinterpreted when simplified,” that letter read. “Air quality in Beijing is often at levels much higher than that observed in Toronto subways during peak transit hours. Peak levels of air pollutants (particulate matter) in Beijing are often up to eight times higher than the levels measured in the Toronto subway, and can last over periods of several days.”

The Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, which represents most TTC workers, has previously said that the study “raises serious health concerns” for its members and raises the question of “what did the TTC know? When did the TTC know it?”