Emergency workers will be able to access information about potential disease exposure with legislation introduced April 30 by the Honourable Margaret MacDiarmid, Minister of Labour, Citizens’ Services and Open Government.
The nature of the work done by emergency personnel means they are at a higher risk of coming into contact with other peoples’ bodily substances.
This puts them in a situation where they can be exposed to serious communicable diseases like HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
The Emergency Intervention Disclosure Act will:
- Enable emergency workers and Good Samaritans to get a court order to require individuals to give a bodily fluid sample, if one is not given voluntarily.
- Protect privacy by assuring information is shared in confidence only.
- Set penalties for non-compliance of testing orders and privacy provisions.
- Establish a presumption of disease exposure for first responders seeking workers’ compensation benefits.