EXCLUSIVE: Shell drops COVID vaccine requirement for Alberta site

Shell’s Scotford site has removed its requirement for contractors to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID-19 test to access the worksite, according to documents obtained by the Western Standard.

The document, dated January 13, is a reversal of Shell’s testing mandate program on the Scotford site, a refinery located in Fort. Saskatchewan, Alta. It employees 1,300 people.

“Driven by a reduced availability of offsite testing, coupled with the fact vaccination is not as effective against the Omicron variant, we will be temporarily turning off the requirement for contractors to provide proof of vaccination and/or complete testing prior to arriving on-site,” said the notice.

“Individuals who are not vaccinated will no longer need to show proof of an approved negative COVID test completed within 72 hours and there is no longer the option or need to gain exemption status by voluntarily showing proof of full vaccination.

“Site access will be restored for all individuals starting Jan. 13, 2022.”

The updated policy will require all employees and contractors “deemed critical to the safe operation of the facility” to complete on-site rapid tests every 72 hours at the expense of Shell.

“All other contractors accessing site will fall into a random testing program that is currently under development for site screening,” said the document.

The Western Standard contacted Shell Canada for confirmation of the policy update. Although no official comment has been received, a receptionist at the Shell Scotford location confirmed the letter is legitimate and the company has temporarily removed the requirement for contract workers to show proof of vaccination or provide negative COVID-19 test results for access to the site. Source