St. John Ambulance is Canada’s leading authority in first aid and the preferred choice of employers for employee first aid training*.
We receive many questions from employers looking to comply with Ontario First Aid Regulation 1101. Over the next few weeks, we will publish the answers to some of the questions that are asked most often. If you have any questions you would like us to respond to please send them to: [email protected].
How many employees should we certify in First Aid?
Employers will often think that certifying one employee in First Aid & CPR will meet the requirements of Ontario First Aid Regulation 1101. There are a few situations where this may be true, but generally only when there is a one person work area such as a taxi or a truck driver.
The regulation requires that there always be someone on duty in the work area with current first aid certification at all times that work is in operation. Regulatory authorities will not tell you how many employees to train in order to be in compliance. That is for the employer to determine based on their operations.
If any of the following situations arises with the one first aid certified employee at a workplace where they are the only one with the training, the employer will be out of compliance:
• Employee is on vacation, sick leave or is working from home or another location.
• Employee only covers one shift cycle of multiple shift cycles
• Employee is the injured employee needing assistance
• Employee faints at the sight of blood or injury
• Employee is not able to access all areas of the work operation due to restricted access controls
It may take three, four, or more employees per shift, and per work area, trained in first aid in order to be in compliance with Regulation 1101.
*Innovative Research Study, August 2011