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12
Months
of Safety
of Safety
September 2024
First Aid
Do you know what to do if a first aid incident happens in your workplace? Do you know who to notify? Do you know how what information is required by your health and safety policy when reporting a first aid incident?
Knowing how to properly assess and respond to incidents requiring first aid—whether serious or minor—is important step in helping ensure that people are safe. First aid training and intervention can prevent workers from being further injured or impacted by potential long-term negative outcomes, and it can save lives.
We all have specific roles in ensuring workers receive appropriate first aid in the workplace. By ensuring that there are adequately and appropriately trained individuals available to respond to workplace incidences, we can prepare effectively respond and provide care to colleagues and visitors in distress.
First Aid Resources and Tools
Toolbox Talk
We provide first aid in the workplace when a person needs treatment to preserve their life and minimize the consequences of an injury or illness until medical help is available. First aid also treats minor injuries and illnesses that do not require medical intervention.
Ensure attendants receive training and education on how they should protect themselves, and proper disinfection protocols. Recommended PPE when attending an emergency includes mask, face shield, and gloves. Do a risk assessment to determine what other controls and PPE may be required in specific situations.
Yes, attendants should receive specific training and education on how they should protect themselves, and on proper disinfection protocols.
Carry out a risk assessment to see whether or not a higher level of protection is required for these individuals. Factor in the frequency of contact between individuals, surfaces, etc., as well as the type of work. You may also factor in other controls in place (hygiene procedures, physical distancing, etc.), to justify whether or not a higher level of protection is needed. […]
Particularly in environments where employers may not have a robust PPE program already in place, this is a common concern. When you provide first aid services to an injured worker, physical distancing is not typically possible. So it becomes a question of how you protect both workers from each other, should one of them actually […]
At its April 2023 meeting, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. The amendments will become effective on November 1, 2024.
Any additional first aid supplies are based on the specific workplace and work processes; not the workers themselves and any confidential underlying medical issues they may have. If a worker voluntary discloses a medical condition requiring specific medications, it is the decision of that worker to disclose, and provide, the medication they may require. They […]
If it is determined through a first aid assessment that a kit is required, employers must have one kit (at minimum), readily available to the designated first aid attendant. Employers are also able to provide additional kits or equipment to supplement basic requirements. As part of the process in conducting a first aid assessment and […]
In April 2023, WorkSafeBC’s Board of Directors approved amendments to Part 3 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation, relating to the provision of occupational first aid.
WorkSafeBC has been working with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) in the amended first aid regulations. As indicated in the guideline, under G3.16 First Aid Assessment, Determining additional first aid service requirements — Section 3.16(1)(b): Employers must consider known barriers that may affect BCEHS response time, or time to transport to hospital such as hours […]
A map of where BC Emergency Health Services has shared indicating where ambulance centres are located across the province.
This is one of the standards referenced by WorkSafeBC in their updates to BC's OHS Regulations on First Aid.
The definition of “remote” in the amended regulation is: A workplace to which, under normal travel conditions, an ambulance that is a motor vehicle cannot travel from its base in 30 minutes or less but does not include a ferry. An ambulance base means an ambulance station; therefore, you cannot calculate the distance to/from your […]
Employers that have a confined space must be compliant with Part 9 of the Occupational Health and Safety Regulation. Reference: WorkSafeBC Your first aid procedures should address how a worker injured in the confined space will be removed before first aid is initiated. Depending on the nature of the hazards in the confined space, you […]
Conference Session
On November 1, 2024, amendments to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Regulation relating to occupational first aid will come into effect. The changes mean employers across the province will need to review their current first aid plans, supplies, and equipment and make adjustments. In this session, gain better understanding of what changes and adjustments […]
This worksheet helps employers conduct and document an assessment to determine the first aid equipment, supplies, and facilities required for workplaces.
Employers are responsible for first aid in the workplace. To determine the first aid needs of your workplace, first you'll need to do an assessment. Then, you can review the findings and take necessary steps to put proper first aid procedures in place. If you're an employer, you are responsible for first aid in the workplace.
Medium refers to the name of the CSA kit. When purchasing new first aid kits, ensure you buy the CSA compliant kit with the description of Medium; not Small for a Type 2 or Type 3 kit. Reminder, you do not need to get rid of your OFA kits; but you do need to acquire […]
WorkSafeBC has been working with BCEHS in the amended first aid regulations. BCEHS is working towards more ambulance services – More ambulance services coming soon to rural and remote communities across B.C. (bcehs.ca)
Small workplaces that do not have a designated joint health and safety committee or designated safety representative can involve workers at safety meetings or during a toolbox talk. In the first aid assessment template there is a field to provide the name(s) of the worker(s) consulted.
Separate first aid assessments would be required at each worksite because each site may have a different number of workers present, and a different distance to/from an ambulance station. To determine the workplace class for that site, a first aid assessment must be conducted. The second part of an employer’s 2-part duty is to determine […]
Drills should be conducted as soon as practicable after the implementation of the updated regulations on November 1st, 2024.
The contractor is responsible to ensure first aid is provided to their workers. If the plant only has one worker, the plant is unlikely to require a first aid attendant. Yes, as the owner and de facto prime of the workplace the plant employer has a responsibility to ensure appropriate first aid is provided, but […]
All three conditions must be met to be considered “not less accessible.” Workplaces that are remote or that cannot readily be reached by an ambulance travelling by land, or where BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) cannot safety access such as back country, down steep embankments, rough terrain, where high risk of avalanche, flood, etc. exist, […]
Some workplaces may require multiple first aid attendants. The purpose of multiple attendants is to ensure adequate response to major incidents and to ensure adequate first aid coverage. When multiple designated attendants are present, the following should be considered and incorporated in the written procedures: In workplaces where first aid attendants have different levels of […]
Faq
Refer to the guideline to see the content requirements for the basic, intermediate, and advanced first aid kits. Reference: OHS Guidelines for Part 3 – Occupational First Aid | WorkSafeBC
A brief outline of how the Manufacturing Safety Alliance of BC can help members and non-members with their occupational first aid compliance needs.
This PDF provides employers with information to help assess what is required for their workplace. This information is provided
This presentation was shared by Kim Stubbs from WorkSafeBC through a webinar on updates to OHS Regulations for first aid on July 30, 2024.
There is no prerequisite for taking the Intermediate First Aid training. Competency will be assessed throughout the duration of the 2-day course by the course instructor.
This is an updated PDF of the OHS Regulations and guidelines for Occupational First Aid with preliminary revisions from June 2024.
A National Lifeguard designation will not be considered equivalent to an Intermediate or Advanced first aid certificate unless the National Lifeguard course has been submitted, reviewed, and accepted by WorkSafeBC as an equivalent first aid course. If/when the National Lifeguard courses are submitted for acceptance by WorkSafeBC and align to the CSA Z1210-17 and B.C. […]
“Normal travel conditions” should be determined by the average time it takes to drive to (or from) the nearest ambulance station by a motor vehicle following the rules of the road, during the normal working hours of the employer’s workplace. Employers must consider known barriers that may affect BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) response time, […]
Quick Reference Card
To help employers better manage a process to implement and update First Aid programs and policies to comply with the updated regulations, here is a suggested timeline and approach through until Nov 1, 2024.
The hazard rating assigned by WorkSafeBC should be considered the minimum acceptable hazard rating for workplaces of employers assigned to that CU, with the following exception, multiple-employer workplaces where the work is phased and not all phases have the same hazards present. E.g., A prime contractor in residential construction classification unit 721027 (House or Other […]
Refer to the guideline to see the Advanced first aid kit (based on CSA Z1220 Type 3: Intermediate first aid kit — medium, includes oxygen kit) contents list. Reference: OHS Guidelines for Part 3 – Occupational First Aid | WorkSafeBC
All workers who regularly attend a workplace must be included in the worker count for that workplace, even if they are on-site only briefly. When determining the minimum first aid requirements for a workplace, employers should count dispatched or transient workers as follows: Count as one worker each dispatched worker who stays within 10 minutes’ […]
There are no first aid drill templates available on the WorkSafeBC website. A first aid drill template should be like an emergency evacuation drill template, at a minimum, logging the date/time of the drill, the drill scenario, who was involved, was the drill successful or were deficiencies identified, are there action items and/or corrections required, […]
It may change your first aid procedures. Review all your first aid procedures and make any necessary changes. Conduct a first aid drill to ensure your procedures are effective.
Drills provide workplace parties with a chance to practice their roles and responsibilities, which helps to ensure an effective response in the event of a real emergency. Drills also provide an opportunity to identify and resolve potential challenges or deficiencies in the employer’s written first aid procedures. A first aid drill should include mock scenarios […]
It is permissible to drive an employee to medical services for a minor injury. However, the employer must create procedures for transporting an injured worker. First aid attendants receive training on when to refer workers to medical aid. First aid procedures should include procedures for: How an injured worker will be transported to hospital or […]
No, generic first aid procedure templates will not be provided by WorkSafeBC. First aid procedures are very specific to your work location and work processes. Manufacturers and businesses need to create their own specific templates that includes several first aid procedures—at minimum those marked by an asterisk: Coordination of multiple attendants (e.g., major/minor injuries) Location […]
First aid training providers can either develop their own curriculum; aligned to CSA Z1210-17, and have it approved by WorkSafeBC, or enter into a training agreement and use the WorkSafeBC developed first aid curriculum. First aid training providers are subject to periodic quality assurance audits to ensure that WorkSafeBC requirements and standards are adhered to. […]
A brief video by WorkSafeBC that outlines the process of conducting and documenting that assessment.
This document is regularly updated by WorkSafeBC to list current approved occupational first aid training providers.
Employers must consider additional barriers that could potentially limit or delay a worker’s access to first aid. If a particular barrier is known, such as BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) will not enter the area without police escorts, then employers must consider this in their assessment and first aid procedures.
News & Blog Articles
As of February 2025, WorkSafeBC has provided additional updates and resources for the newly amended First Aid Regulations that went into effect on Nov 1, 2024. To support manufacturers and food processors across the province, in 2024 MSABC summarized the...
Preparing for the New WorkSafeBC First Aid Regulations
December 11, 2023
Are you ready? Earlier this year, WorkSafeBC approved amendments to the First Aid Regulations that require employers to put into effect by November 1, 2024. The goal of these amendments is to reduce confusion around first aid requirements and standardize...
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