Understand the Changes to First Aid Regulatory Requirements

WorkSafeBC has updated the OHS Regulatory requirements related to workplace first aid, taking effect November 1, 2024. The information below is a general overview of the changes and should be implemented into workplace first aid programs as soon as practicable.

Overview of the Regulatory Changes 

The changes place a greater emphasis on high-risk, remote workplaces, and are intended to harmonize the Regulation with the Canadian Standards Association (CSA). Employers will need to transition their current first aid program to meet these new requirements, including the following key considerations:

First Aid Assessments:

• • Assessments must be written/documented and reviewed/updated annually, or whenever a significant operational change occurs.
  • They must be prepared, reviewed, and updated in consultation with the JHSC or worker health & safety representative.
  • Assessments are two-part: first, to identify the minimum first aid requirements, and second, to evaluate workplace-specific factors and determine any additional needs to adequately serve potential workplace injuries.

Workplace Classifications (replacement of Schedule 3-A):

• • Class 1: a workplace that is not remote or less accessible.
  • Class 2: a workplace that is remote but not less accessible.
  • Class 3: a workplace that is less accessible but not remote.
  • Class 4: a workplace that is both remote and less accessible.
  • “Remoteness” is defined by whether, under normal travel conditions, an ambulance (a motor vehicle) can reach the workplace from its base within 30 minutes.
  • “Accessibility” is defined by whether there are areas that ambulance personnel cannot safely access due to accessibility factors like rough terrain, steep slopes, natural hazards, or specialized equipment requirements. It also includes hazardous work areas like confined spaces, excavations, or those requiring specialized PPE, where BCEHS will generally not provide rescue or emergency services.

First Aid Procedural Considerations:

• • Procedures are to include available services, supplies, equipment, facilities, and attendants, coordination of multiple attendants including lead roles, transfer of care, and injury response, as well as instructions for workers to summon first aid and access supplies, among other necessary details.
  • First aid kit contents and first aid training curriculums must meet CSA standards (first aid kits: Z1220-17 and first aid training: Z1210-17).

First Aid Drills:

• • Drills must be conducted annually to ensure the procedures are effective and workers and attendants can fulfill their duties as per the procedure.

Emergency Transportation (where necessary according to Schedule 3-A):

• • Specific requirements to provide emergency transportation from the worksite to medical services, if an ambulance cannot safely reach the workplace within 30 minutes
  • The transportation must have effective communication protocols between the driver, first aid attendant, and BCEHS.
  • The Emergency Transport Vehicle (ETV) should secure the injured worker, protect against natural elements and dust, maintain normal body temperature, and provide sufficient space for the first aid attendant to administer care during transport.

Dressing Stations, First Aid Rooms, and Overnight Care (where necessary according to Schedule 3-A):

• • Dressing stations and first aid rooms should be as close as possible to work areas, kept clean, equipped with a sink providing warm and cold potable water, clearly signed, and large enough to accommodate the injured worker, attendant, and necessary equipment.
  • Overnight care facilities are required for locations that require a first aid room and where under normal travel conditions, hospitals are further than 2 hours away.

Unsure on how to tackle Workplace First Aid?

• To access go2HR’s First Aid Webinar Series Recordings and Resources, click here.
• To explore how go2HR’s Workplace First Aid Advisory Services can help, click here.
• To explore WorkSafeBC information on First Aid, click here.

go2HR is the Human Resources and Health & Safety Association for BC’s tourism and hospitality industry. Our role is to drive strong workforces and safe workplaces that deliver world-class tourism and hospitality experiences in British Columbia.