Several workplaces and student programs require first aid certification. Therefore, anyone thinking of getting first aid training or anyone with a certificate must know they need to keep them valid according to Ontario and Canadian regulations.
All businesses in Ontario are required by Regulation 1101 to provide first aid training to their workers, depending on the job hazard level. At every worksite, there should always be at least one individual who is experienced in emergency first aid and has an up-to-date certificate from a WSIB-licensed first aid education institution. All First-Aid training should include certification in CPR and an AED.
By staying up-to-date on your life-saving skills, you’ll be prepared in the event of an emergency. It’s crucial that first-aid and CPR training are regularly updated, so that employees feel confident and prepared to act in an emergency situation. Therefore, in Ontario – like all other Canadian provinces- First Aid and CPR/AED certification only remain valid for a set period. It’s crucial to stay up-to-date on the validity of your first aid and CPR/AED certifications, as well as how to renew them.
Why do you need a First Aid Certification?
The critical life-saving skills learned during First Aid training prepare you to help during emergencies. During the course, participants learn a whole range of life-saving skills, which include the following:
- How to apply proper cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) during breathing emergencies like heart attacks
- How an automated external defibrillator (AED) used on a patient can restart the heart
- How to check for signs of life by checking for breathing and a pulse
- How to use a bandage correctly to control heavy bleeding
- How to perform the necessary life-saving skills to save someone from choking
- How to apply first aid to burns
What are the requirements of different workplaces and school programs?
WSIB Ontario lays down the training requirements for various professions and industries. The two types of first aid training are called Emergency and Standard First Aid. The type of certification required depends on the number of employees present per shift within a company.
Generally, in places with five or fewer employees in a shift, one employee must have Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C certification. Businesses with more than five people during a shift must ensure at least one employee with valid Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C certification.
Furthermore, in some industries, employees with valid certificates still need to recertify them annually.
Why is it necessary to need a First Aid Certification?
First Aid certification is a requirement in most places of employment. The training teaches participants how to perform the various life-saving skills and when it’s safe to use them. But, most importantly, once learned, these skills can come in handy at any time or place, including among friends and family.
Certificates are valid only for 3 years
First Aid certificates in Ontario have a three-year validity. After that, holders need to either take a new training or a recertification course, depending on the type of First Aid certificate they hold.
Learn about First Aid & CPR/AED Course you might need
Certify for First Aid & CPR/AED training to assist someone with your life-saving skills as you complete the course with us. Call our toll-free number to know more.
How can You Qualify for a Recertification Course?
Anyone with a Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C certificate that has not expired qualifies for a recertification course. However, if the certification has expired, they must retake the course.
The renewal course takes one day to complete, and the participant’s new certification will indicate that they earned recertification. During the course, the participants practice all the techniques they have already learned, helping to ensure they haven’t forgotten any. Their instructors also teach them any new life-saving methods discovered since their original certification.
Holders of Standard First Aid & CPR/AED can only recertify these certificates once and then must retake a full training course after the next expiration.
Holders of Emergency First Aid & CPR/AED Level C Certificates must continuously register for a complete training course because these aren’t renewable in Ontario.
Are WSIB-approved certificates from other provinces valid in Ontario?
Anyone holding a first aid certificate from a WSIB-approved provider in another province can consider it valid in Ontario. However, once the certificate expires, they must find a WSIB-approved provider in Ontario for their new training.
Learning and regularly practicing First Aid Skills gives people the confidence to help others in any situation. At Coast2Coast, the training provides participants with a WSIB-approved Canadian Red Cross valid First Aid certificate to assist their co-workers, friends, and family in any medical emergency.
