Personal Protective Equipment

This page includes information about personal protective equipment (PPE) in B.C.

Last updated: August 20, 2021

For health professionals

Patients with suspected and/or confirmed COVID-19 disease require Contact and Droplet precautions to be used

Use a surgical/procedure mask along with eye protection (face shield, safety glasses or goggles), gloves and gown when taking nasopharyngeal and throat swabs. An N95 respirator is NOT required.
Use a N95 respirator or equivalent with gown, gloves and eye protection (face shield or goggles) when performing aerosol generating medical procedures (AGMP) on patients suspected (patients with COVID-19 risk) or confirmed to have COVID-19.

Download: Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures (AGMPs) requiring N95 respirator for suspected or confirmed COVID-19 patients
Download Aerosol Generating Medical Procedures (AGMP) sign- new June 17, 2021

Masks, respirators and eye and facial protection

How to Wear a Surgical Mask poster for instructions on how to put on and remove a surgical mask.
The Eye Protection Selection Fit Tool is a resource for health care workers to assess, select and properly fit eye protection PPE options including face shield, safety goggles, visor attached to mask and safety glasses - New August 20, 2021
Cleaning and disinfection for eye and facial protection for information on goggles, safety glasses and face shields.
Elastomeric half-face respirators (EHFR):

Guidance Elastomeric Half Face Respirator Source Control in Pre-Hospital and Health-Care Settings: Guidance or the use and source control of reusable EHFR with an unfiltered valve.
Instructions for fitting Elastomeric Half Face Respirator that does not have an exhalation valve filter: Poster with instructions on how to wear and apply a medical mask over the EHFR unfiltered valve.
Learn how to safely reprocess reusable elastomeric respirators.

The continuous, extended and repetitive use of PPE, including masks, gloves and safety glasses/goggles may cause adverse skin reactions. Learn how to prevent and manage PPE-related skin damage.
Position Statement: Double Masking and Masking Recommendations for Medical Masks in Health Care Settings - New March 19, 2021
More pieces and layers of PPE doesn’t mean more protection – Wearing extra PPE complicates the doffing process and increases the risk of self-contamination. For more information, review the appropriate PPE poster.

PPE Audit Tool

The PPE Audit tool is intended for health authorities’ auditors and site administrators to help them assess health-care worker competency and compliance with personal protective equipment (PPE) donning and doffing procedures when providing care to patients confirmed or suspected of having COVID-19. - New March 19, 2021

Steps for putting on (donning) personal protective equipment

Download the 5 steps to don (put on) personal protective equipment (PPE) poster (PDF).
AGMP list

Steps for taking off (doffing) personal protective equipment for droplet and contact precautions

Download doffing poster (droplet and contact precautions)

Steps for taking off (doffing) personal protective equipment for airborne precautions (includes AGMP)

Download doffing poster (airborne precautions [AGMP])

Additional information on PPE

Use of a Powered Air-Purifying Respirator (PAPR)

Current knowledge about the transmission dynamics of COVID-19 does not indicate the need for PAPR use. There may be unique individual circumstances (e.g. facial structure, unable to be successfully fit tested for an N-95 respirator) that potentially interfere with correct surgical mask or N95 respirator use. In these cases, consult your health authority Workplace Health and Safety, Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention and Control personnel. In some health care workers roles such as BC Ambulance/BCEHS paramedics, where transport times may be very long and occur in a small closed space PAPR use may be warranted.

Provincial PPE supply

Pandemic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Allocation Framework

This document guides health care providers in determining what type of PPE individuals working or visiting in health care settings will receive in the event of a pandemic when demand for PPE overwhelms supply.

Emergency Prioritization in a Pandemic Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Allocation Framework - March 25, 2020

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Supply, Assessment, Testing and Distribution Protocol

Supply, Assessment, Testing and Distribution Protocol - May 1, 2020 - This documents discusses the following themes and includes a flowchart:

How is B.C. sourcing PPE?
How is B.C. determining the safety and efficacy of PPE prior to decisions about use?
How is B.C. ensuring that appropriate PPE is being delivered to health care settings in a safe and efficient manner?

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Bulletin

Bulletin 1 - March 29, 2020 - Provides direction to all health authorities to immediately review, activate and operationalize the Emergency Prioritization in a Pandemic: Personal Protective Equipment Allocation Framework (the PPE Framework) that was distributed March 25, 2020.
Bulletin 2 - April 8, 2020 - Use of alternative/equivalent PPE and N95 reprocessing
Bulletin 3 and product change notice - June 11, 2020 - Use of alternative/equivalent PPE, N95 respirators: 3M N-95 1870+

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Provincial Health Services Authority