First Aid Program

All businesses covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act are required to have first aid equipment, facilities and trained personnel in all workplaces. 

• Contact an approved First aid provider and register for an online training option. See a list of approved First Aid Providers. 
• Upon completion of the online course, you will receive an interim certificate for the knowledge acquisition portion of the certification. Practical skills training will be completed at a later date when physical distancing restrictions have been lifted.
• Keep in contact with your First Aid provider so that you can register for the practical skills component at a later date.  In order to receive full re-certification or certification, your practical skills must be evaluated by an instructor to ensure that the required first aid competencies have been demonstrated. 

People with First Aid/CPR certificates that would have expired as of March 1, 2020 are no longer eligible for extension.

The required training depends on the number of people working per shift at a workplace:

• For workplaces with five or fewer people working on any one shift, at least one must have an emergency first aid certificate. This program is 6.5 hours long and is offered by organizations across the province.
• For workplaces with six or more people working on any shift, at least one must have a standard first aid certificate. This program is 13 hours long and is offered by organizations across the province.

An employee or worker in the WSIA is a person who has entered into or is employed under a contract of service or apprenticeship. For more information, please review the WSIA.

Anyone can become a first aider (or a valid first aid certificate holder). A first aider should be able to provide prompt treatment. For example, you should not choose someone to be a first aider if they often work off-site or in closed-door meetings.

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).

It is a best practice for businesses to assess their workplace to determine how many first aiders they need based on things like the size and layout of the workplace. For example, 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.

Training must be delivered by a WSIB-approved first aid training provider.

First aid training providers can subcontract to independent third-party providers. The names of these subcontracted providers are not included in the list of WSIB-approved providers.

All certificates for workplace first aid training, including those provided through independent third-party training providers, must be issued by the WSIB-approved provider to be compliant with Regulation 1101.

If you are not sure if a first aid training provider is subcontracted by a WSIB-approved provider, you can contact the approved provider to confirm before you purchase a service.

Most first aid certificates are valid for a maximum of three years. Training providers may set a higher standard and issue their certificates with a two-year validation period

Before your certificate expires you will need to complete the training again to maintain your certification.

You can renew your standard first aid certificate one time by completing a one-day standard first aid renewal course with the original provider before your original certificate expires. The new certificate will state “renewal” on it.

If you have already renewed your standard first aid certificate once, you will need to earn a new certificate from an approved provider when your renewed certificate expires.

There are currently no approved online-only programs that meet the criteria for first aid training. Online programs do not allow participants to show that they have learned the required skills.

There are some approved blended programs that use online learning for first aid theory learning, with skill demonstrations in a classroom with an instructor.

Yes. Businesses are required to cover the cost of first aid training and supplies. This includes covering wage costs for an employee’s time while they are completing an approved first aid training program.

No, CPR training is not the same as first aid training. There is a CPR component to first aid training recognized by the WSIB. Any of the following, when taken as part of an approved emergency first aid or standard first aid program, would meet the requirements for the CPR component in Regulation 1101:

• CPR A: includes CPR techniques for adults only.
• CPR B: includes CPR techniques for adults and children.
• CPR C: includes CPR techniques for adults, children and infants.
• CPR-HCP (Healthcare provider): covers all aspects of CPR skills and theory for adult, child and infant victims, including rescue breathing (artificial respiration) and the use of AEDs and bag-valve-masks (BVM).

Yes. If you have a first aid certificate from an approved provider in another province, we will accept the certificate until it expires. After the certificate expires, you must complete your first aid training with a WSIB-approved provider in Ontario.

First aid kits should be part of a first aid station. You should place first aid stations strategically throughout your workplace. Your first aid stations should include:

• a first aid kit
• the “In Case of Injury” poster
• a first aid inspection card
• a list of the first aiders in that area

When you have multiple buildings, you should treat each building as an individual workplace. All vehicles used for work purposes, including personal vehicles, should also have a first aid kit and supplies.

You should also include a pocket mask or other barrier device and multiple pairs of non-latex gloves in your first aid kit.

There is no ratio of first aid kits to employees. You need to make sure that first aid kits are easily accessible so that people can reach or access a first aid kit quickly.

A first aid kit should be portable and should NOT be kept in a locked cabinet, drawer or room. It should be in an area where it is visible or marked with a sign identifying its location.

You can put together a first aid kit using the first aid kit/room lists from Regulation 1101 or you can purchase ready-made first aid kits from a supplier of your choice. We do not endorse any particular first aid kit vendor.

You can find the poster (also known as Form 82) on our website.

Over-the-counter medications cannot be included in first aid kits.

Do not provide medication to someone who has been injured or is ill. It could lead to an allergic reaction or could mask the severity of the injury or illness, which could delay getting needed medical attention.

In training, first aiders are not taught to use these items. Providing medication or applying ointment is outside the scope of what first aiders are taught to do.

EpiPens® are not required under Regulation 1101 and should not be included in the first aid kits.

Yes, some alternatives are approved for first aid kit contents. They include:

• dressing forceps = single use tweezers
• dressing scissors = single use scissors
• denatured ethyl alcohol = single use antiseptic wipes
• adhesive plaster and dressing = adhesive bandages
• instrument sterilizer = no longer used by first aiders – use single use items and discard
• enamel footbath = can use a stainless steel bowl.

AEDs are not required under Regulation 1101. 

The first aid requirements for employees working off-site are the same as for employees working on-site (e.g., first aid stations and certified first aiders).

All work crews must have adequate first aid supplies and a trained first aider according to the size of the crew. 

Regulation 1101 does not have requirements around people working alone. However, working alone should be considered a hazard. All employees should have access to first aid supplies. As a best practice, employees who work alone should have emergency first aid training.

If you have questions about Regulation 137/15 of the Child Care and Early Years Act, you can contact the Ministry of Education. We administer First Aid Regulation 1101 under the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act.

We are not accepting any new applications from prospective workplace first aid training providers at this time.

If you would like to be added to the list of potential providers, please email first_aid@wsib.on.ca, and we will let you know when we are considering new providers.

At this time, we are not accepting any new applications from prospective workplace first aid training providers.