Ontario Construction News staff writer
EllisDon has implemented the Ministry of Health’s COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test Pilot project.
Working with the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Labour, Training and Skills Development, EllisDon will voluntarily test workers on job sites and the screening program is now mandatory.
“We have been working with EllisDon on the rollout of the Rapid Antigen Test Pilot across their projects in the GTA,” said Ron Kelusky, chief prevention officer, assistant deputy minister.
“The pilot has demonstrated that increased screening at worksites will help keep workers safe and essential construction and Infrastructure projects open.”
Workers are able to take the Rapid Antigen Test with an onsite professional through a signup process and receive their results within 15 minutes. For worksites with mandatory testing including Crosslinx, this protocol will apply to all EllisDon project staff, site personnel and subcontractors.
“Through our Rapid Antigen Test Pilot we are working to build stability and safe workplaces during an unstable time,” said Steve Chaplin, vice president, health, safety and environment, EllisDon.
“While working closely with our government officials, we have the moral obligation to do everything we can to protect our employees and the communities in which we build.”
Currently, EllisDon is focusing the pilot proect on sites with large numbers of personnel in regions such as the GTA where there are high numbers of COVID-19 cases within the community.
The plan is to scale up mandatory testing to other sites with continued government support.