First Aid – Frequently Asked Questions

A list of first aid attendants should be posted near each first aid kit, and must contain the name, location, telephone number and certification status of the attendants.

If the supervisor/manager is onsite, he/she should be alerted when one of those lists is missing or inaccurate. If he/she is not in a position to take the required corrective measure, he may have to involve a senior manager, for example, to ensure the recruitment of additional first aid attendants.

The site lead or management lead for your building is ultimately responsible to ensure adequate coverage of first aid attendants (at least one per 50 employees at all times during each work period) and adequate posting of the lists in your workplace. He/she should be made aware of any subsequent adjustments made to the first aid attendant list, along with your Regional OHS Advisor.

A First Aid Attendant plays an invaluable role in regards to the health and safety of colleagues during a medical emergency. The skills acquired will also allow the attendant to be able to administer first aid during a medical emergency outside of work.

Employees who are interested in becoming a First Aid Attendant should discuss it with their supervisor/manager. The attendant should be in a position that enables him/her to be readily available in the event of a medical emergency (i.e. employee is not often called to be away from their desk). The attendant will be expected to render first aid and be in charge of providing care for the injured or ill employee until the treatment is complete or until the employee is under the care of an equally or more qualified caregiver. This means that, if required, the attendant may have to accompany an injured or ill employee to a medical treatment facility and render first aid in transit.

In workplaces that are office environments and where the ambulance response time is less than two hours, first aid attendants need to complete a one-day training course to obtain a Basic First Aid Certificate. In the National Capital Region, these courses are offered within ESDC and available sessions can be viewed on ILMS/Saba. In other regions, the employee’s manager can obtain guidance on first aid training options by making a request through the Human Resources Service Centre (HRSC).

The type and number of items present in ESDC first aid kit are prescribed by Part XVI of the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations. The type of kit and its contents depend on factors such as the number of employees in a workplace, the location and the type of work being done. Therefore, items cannot be added to the kit provided by the employer. For example, sunscreen, over-the-counter medications (i.e. pain and inflammation relief medication, bottles of wound cleaner) and prescription medication (i.e. EpiPens) must not be stored in first aid kits or dispensed by first aid attendants. Please refer to Section 6 on First Aid Supplies and Equipment of the First Aid Program Guide for more information.

Given the severity of a medical emergency, a witness or a first aid attendant may have already made the determination to call 911.  However, in a less critical situation, the manager must demonstrate due diligence in determining whether an incident requires the attention of paramedics and transportation by ambulance. When in doubt, 911 should be called. If the employee does not agree with this decision, he/she will have to sign a Refusal of Service form provided by the attending paramedics to decline the service.

The manager of the ill or injured employee is responsible for ambulance or other transportation costs to get the employee to a medical facility as required. Please refer to Section 8 f of the First Aid Program Guide for more information.

First aid records must be completed any time first aid is administered, even in situations where first aid is self-administered. A template can be found in Annex I (DOCX, 85 KB) of the First Aid Program Guide. These records should not be left in or near the kit, but rather maintained and protected by the management/site lead, or their delegate, in a secure location in the workplace.

Questions regarding the First Aid Program must be directed to a Regional OHS Advisor. A manager can make a request through the Human Resources Service Centre (HRSC).