By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Leaky package causes health scare for Nanaimo Canada Post employee

Nov 7, 2018 | 3:07 PM

NANAIMO — It was a frantic few minutes at the Canada Post distribution centre in Nanaimo as an employee at the East Wellington Rd. facility was sent to hospital.

Nanaimo RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said an oily substance from a leaky parcel caused tingling and numbing to the woman’s hands Wednesday morning.

He said numerous responding officials helped determine what the substance was.

“After speaking with the recipient of the product it was deemed to be harmless and it was in fact a magnesium food supplement,” O’Brien said.

Wayde Heckford, president of the Nanaimo local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, said the essential oil product which caused the reaction was inside an unmarked package.

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He said it was business as usual not long after the incident and the affected employee returned for work early Wednesday afternoon after she underwent observation.

Heckford said their employees come across suspicious packages periodically.

“It does happen, we have things that break open in the mail and we have to deal with them as soon as possible.”

Meanwhile, Heckford said a suspicious powder from a package at the Parksville Canada Post office last week also turned out not to be dangerous.

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