Facebook-f Twitter
  • Home
  • Workplace Training

First Aid Requirements in the Workplace:

WSIB and Ontario Occupational Health and Safety require that all workplaces in the province have someone on-site, trained in First Aid and CPR/AED.

Durham First Aid Inc. is a Canadian Red Cross Training Partner in Oshawa, offering WSIB-approved Workplace First Aid and CPR/AED training courses—both in-centre and on-site with certified instructors.

First Aid Requirements in the Workplace

The level of First Aid Training depends on the number of employees a workplace has working on-site at any given time. When choosing what level your staff require, here is what is required by WSIB (source www.wsib.on.ca):

Training depends on the number of workers per shift at a workplace: 

 

When asking how many people your company must train, WSIB states:

  • Employers must ensure that first aid stations are under the care of a worker with a valid first aid certificate at all times when work is in progress. Employers with more than one shift require first aiders for each shift.  Having multiple trained first aiders is recommended to ensure compliance when a first aider is away from work due to illness or on vacation.
  • Employers with large workplaces need to have multiple trained first aiders. It is recommended that a first aider should be able to reach an injured or ill worker within a two-minute walk (based on information that brain damage starts after about 4 minutes of no oxygen). Employers should conduct an assessment of their workplace to determine how quickly it would take for a first aider to attend to an injured or ill worker.

FAQ’s

First Aid Requirements in the Workplace:

What first aid level do we require?

According to Regulation 1101, all workplaces in Ontario covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) must provide first aid training to their employees.The required training depends on the number of people working per shift at a workplace:

  • For workplaces with 1-5 people working on any one shift, at least one must have an Emergency First Aid certificate.
  • For workplaces with 6 or more people working on any shift, at least one must have a Standard First Aid certificate.

All first aid courses come with CPR Training. The level you require depends on if you have a workplace with children or babies present. There are three levels to choose from.

  • CPR A: includes CPR techniques for adults only
  • CPR C: includes CPR techniques for adults, children and infants.
  • CPR-Basic Life Support (BLS/HCP): this course is for health care providers and covers all aspects of CPR skills and theory on adult, child and babies and includes rescue breathing (artificial respiration) and use of a bag-valve-masks (BVM)

Certain industries, accreditation colleges, or government regulations dictate which certification is required. Examples are:

If you are unsure of what level you require, please email us at info@durhamfirstaid.com and we can assist in getting you the right certification level for your industry.

Every workplace (whether it has only one employee or more) is required to have someone trained in First Aid and onsite. Durham First Aid Inc. suggests you have multiple people trained, to ensure that someone is there to cover breaks, vacation, sick days etc.As per WSIB there is no required ratio of trained first aiders to total employees under Regulation 1101. Workplaces must have at least one person on site at all times who has a valid first aid certificate (according to the number of people working per shift). A first aider should be able to reach an injured person within two minutes.

All employees, regardless of their employment status, must be given first aid treatment when they need it.

First Aid Certifications are valid for 3 years. Before expiration, a recertification (renewal course) is required. To qualify for a Standard First Aid & CPR Recertification Course you must meet the following criteria:

  • That have a current non-expired certification card for the Standard First Aid and CPR/AED level. (Note: due to COVID – 19 all certifications that expired after March 1, 2020 are extended until December 31, 2021, if your card is expired prior to March 1, 2020 you will need to take the full course)
  • That the last course you took was a full Standard First Aid course, not a recertification (Current card states “is certified in”).
  • That your current certificate was provided by the Canadian Red Cross

Emergency First Aid in Ontario cannot be recertified, the full Certification course (6.5-8 hours) must be taken again. Your CPR is recertified with your First Aid Certification, and will be valid for another three years (Levels A & C). For Health Care Providers that hold a BLS (Health Care Provider) CPR certification are required to train annually. If you have taken a Standard or an Emergency First Aid and CPR/AED Level BLS course, you will have received 2 certifications one for First Aid and CPR/AED Level C valid for three years, and your BLS valid for only 1 year. You can recertify just the CPR – BLS with no first aid component in a condensed 2-2.5 hour course)

We understand, call us at 905-240-0092 or email info@durhamfirstaid.com and we can help you out.