Benefits & Requirements of First Aid Training in the Workplace

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How can first aid & CPR training benefit your company or organization?

While it’s true that client-facing employees and those in a position of care or authority (teachers, school staff, day care, etc.) require first aid and CPR training, the benefits of this training go well beyond that.

Anyone in any organization can benefit from first aid training and CPR/AED training. You never know when or where someone may need potentially life-saving treatment.

First Aid Training Is the Law

No matter what type of workplace you have – small or large, public sector or private business, retail or restaurant or office – first aid training and CPR/AED training is highly beneficial. And Ontario, it’s also mandatory under provincial law.

WSIB Regulation 1101 of the Ontario Occupational Health & Safety Act require that your workplace have employee(s) trained in first aid and current on their first aid training certification.

The number of employees trained in first aid – and types of first aid equipment & designated stations – will vary depending on the total number of employees in the workplace.

Why is first aid training mandatory for every Ontario workplace?

The average person spends 40 hours a week at work. That’s over a third of our waking lives!

Therefore, regardless of what kind of workplace it is, there’s a fair chance that, at some point, an employee or customer could become ill or injured.

The Need for First Aid Can Happen in Any Workplace

It can be said that some workplaces have more inherent dangers or potential for injury than others.

Construction sites and industrial facilities, for starters, come with their share of risk.

But the risk for injury or illness is present everywhere, all the time.

That’s why it’s your responsibility as an employer to have employees present who are trained and current in first aid and AED/CPR.

An office, for example, may not seem like a very dangerous place to work. And while an employee in a cubicle isn’t likely to fall off a boom lift or get hit by flying debris as part of their day to day work, they could present other injuries or illnesses that require first aid… such as:

A slip and fall in the workplace
Unconsciousness (due to anything from low blood sugar to stroke)
Heart attack or other medical event (seizure, bleeding, vomiting, coughing up blood, etc.)

Having an employee nearby who is able to respond in a timely manner can literally mean the difference between life and death.

Standard and Emergency First Aid Training + CPR/AED

Depending the size and scope of your company, workplace or job site, the minimum number of employees to attend first aid training and be current in first aid certification will vary.

But why stick to the minimum?

The cost of first aid training is insignificant compared to the potential to save a life.

What happens if the designated employee who is trained in first aid & CPR isn’t there when it’s needed? Maybe she’s away that day, or maybe he is at another location.

The more employees in your company or workplace who receive first aid training, the greater the chances that, should someone get injured or become ill while in the workplace (be that an employee or a customer), a member of your team will be present and fully capable of responding to the emergency. This includes:

Accurately assessing the situation
Providing immediate, life-saving first aid should it be required (e.g. CPR, AED, etc.)
Summoning help (e.g. calling 9-1-1)
Directing the emergency response to include the help of other team members

At First Aid 4U, we’re the premier provider of first aid training in Ontario. From standard and emergency first aid to CPR/AED training and much more, we’ve been helping to create safe workplaces in the province for over a decade.