Employees at Louisiana Pacific in Golden were informed that effective 4:30 p.m. on Sept. 9, only vaccinated employees will be permitted onsite, due to an order from Interior Health.

All employees, contractors or visitors will be required to show a vaccination card to get on site until Sept. 19. This will only be affecting the Golden site.

According to LP, the company received a verbal notification from the Interior Health Authority (IHA) that it would be issuing a stop work order today for all LP Golden employees who have not provided proof of vaccination against COVID-19.

A formal notification was issued this afternoon, on Sept. 9.

Under IHA regulations, businesses with one or more active COVID-19 cases among staff may only operate with vaccinated staff for 10 days following the last day that a COVID-19 positive individual worked, if IHA deems necessary.

鈥淚HA鈥檚 order allows us to remain operational with only our vaccinated employees on-site,鈥� said Breeanna Straessle, director of corporate communications for LP.

鈥淲e will eagerly await the return of our other employees once IHA allows them back into our facility after the 10-day ban is lifted.鈥�

This is meant to prevent any more positive cases at the mill, as a 鈥榣arge number of employees have tested positive for COVID鈥�, according to a memo that was sent out.

LP has clarified that only 2 per cent of their staff have tested positive in the last two weeks.

As more information comes out, a run plan will be created and employees updated.

LP does not require employees to be vaccinated. LP has a 50-page COVID-19 Employee Guideline that covers multiple safety protocols.

鈥淎t LP, our top priority鈥攏ow and always鈥攊s our employees鈥� health and safety,鈥� said Straessle.

鈥淚n accordance with the guidelines and regulations that health and government authorities have put in place in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, LP is taking the necessary measures to prevent and reduce transmission among employees. Our goal is to maintain a healthy work environment while ensuring the integrity of our business operations.鈥�