First aid training
Complete an approved first aid course to obtain a valid certificate to provide first aid services at a work sites in Alberta.
Overview
According to Part 11: First Aid of the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, the employer is responsible for ensuring designated individuals who provide first aid services to workers at a work site are appropriately trained.
Workers successfully completing an approved first aid course are issued a first aid certificate by an approved first aid training agency.
This card needs to be shown to the employer when individuals are asked to provide proof of their first aid qualifications.
How agencies become approved
Training agencies approved by a Director of Medical Services have agreed that their approved courses will be delivered in accordance with the legislative requirements for first aid at workplaces.
The criteria that a training agency must meet in order to be approved appears in the OHS publication Quality Management Plan Requirements for First Aid Training in Alberta Workplaces.
Certification term
The standard term for first aid training certification is a maximum of 3 years. After a certificate expires, retraining is required.
Approved training courses
List of approved first aid training agencies and courses (PDF, 426 KB)
For dates: April 1 to June 30, 2018
The list is updated quarterly. If you want to know whether a particular agency and course not appearing on the list was approved, call OHS at 780-415-8690.
This list of approved courses is useful if you’re looking to take a specific course and wondering if it’s approved, or want to verify whether a course you’ve already taken is approved and taught by an approved agency.
Some consultants and service companies provide first aid courses but their names do not appear in the list of approved courses. Rather than developing their own materials and going through the agency approval process, the consultant or company uses course materials developed by a listed approved agency. An instructor certified by the listed agency delivers the course.
If the name of the consultant or service company providing a course is not on the list of approved courses, ask which approved agency developed the course. Also ask if a certified instructor will deliver the approved workplace first aid course. A call to the approved first aid agency can confirm this information. In addition, approved agencies receive a signed approval letter from a Director of Medical Services. Ask to see an agency’s letter to verify their approval status.
Contact
To connect with OHS:
Phone: 780-415-8690 (Edmonton)
Toll free: 1-866-415-8690
TTY: 780-427-9999 (Edmonton)
TTY: 1-800-232-7215