VANCOUVER - Tests at 14 supportive housing facilities in British Columbia have revealed alarming levels of second-hand fentanyl smoke. Workers at these facilities are experiencing "substantial exposure" to airborne fentanyl, even when remaining in their offices and avoiding common areas. This finding has prompted the province to establish a working group focused on addressing safety concerns related to second-hand fentanyl exposure.

The assessments, conducted by Sauve Safety Services for B.C. Housing, included facilities in Vancouver and Victoria. Results indicated elevated levels of airborne fentanyl in the main offices of all three Vancouver buildings tested. The B.C. Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs acknowledged the seriousness of these findings. "We’ll be working with our partners to ensure providers can take fast action to protect staff and tenants in supportive housing," the ministry stated. They emphasized the need to mitigate risks based on the exposure assessments and air quality tests.

In June, the province announced the formation of the working group following several incidents in supportive housing units, including a fire at the former Howard Johnson hotel in Vancouver that injured two people. The ministry noted that some facilities may have airborne fentanyl levels exceeding the limits set by WorkSafeBC.

The assessments, detailed in over 600 pages of reports, recommended improvements such as enhanced ventilation in the main offices, mandatory respiratory protection for workers in certain situations, and stricter enforcement of smoking policies for tenants. At the Osborn facility on West Hastings Street, testers found that occupational fentanyl exposures during a 12-hour shift "grossly exceeded applicable regulatory limits," including those established by WorkSafeBC. The report indicated that this trend was consistent across various work activities, including time spent in the main office and cleaning shelter areas. Notably, none of the mental health workers were observed wearing respiratory protection during the assessment.

Airborne fentanyl levels at other Vancouver facilities, including Al Mitchell Place and Hotel Maple, also surpassed exposure limits in office spaces. Additionally, higher concentrations of fluorofentanyl, a more potent variant of fentanyl, were detected at all three Vancouver facilities. The assessment for Al Mitchell Place noted that while fentanyl levels approached the eight-hour time-weighted average, fluorofentanyl concentrations were approximately five times higher, indicating a significant exposure risk.

In Victoria, some of the 11 tested facilities provided "protective environments" with fentanyl levels below regulatory limits, while others posed significant health risks to staff. Dr. Ryan Marino, a medical toxicologist, explained that the primary risk from fentanyl smoke comes from its breakdown products, which can irritate the airways. "It's actually very similar to smog pollution and can give people pretty significant irritation, coughing," he said. However, he cautioned against overreacting to the airborne threat, stating that significant amounts of fentanyl would need to be present in the air for someone to inhale a harmful dose.

Mark Haden, an adjunct professor at the University of B.C., suggested that the issue of tenants smoking fentanyl in supportive housing is a symptom of broader drug prohibition policies. He argued for a more comprehensive approach to address the underlying issues, stating, "This is a completely predictable outcome of a social policy that we need to fix."

The province is collaborating with the B.C. Centre for Disease Control, WorkSafeBC, and B.C. Housing to develop new guidelines aimed at reducing exposure in supportive housing facilities. The focus remains on ensuring the safety of both workers and tenants. The ministry expects to provide further information on safety measures in the near future.