First aid training

Overview

According to the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Code, Part 11: First Aid, the employer is responsible for ensuring individuals who provide first aid services to workers are appropriately trained.

Workers must provide proof of training with a valid workplace first aid certificate, when asked to do so by employers or occupational health and safety officers. Workplace first aid training certifications are valid for up to 3 years. Workers may recertify prior to certification expiration or must take a full course after the expiration date.

Approved training agencies issue a certificate to workers who successfully complete an approved workplace first aid training course. Any instructor delivering workplace first aid training must be certified by an agency approved to teach workplace first aid.

Approved training agencies

Find a list of approved training agencies (updated quarterly).

Employers and workers should verify training agency approval status in Alberta, before registering or taking a training course.

How to verify a certificate

If a consultant or service provider is not on the list, follow these steps to make sure the training qualifies for certification:

Find out the name of the approved agency that developed the course.
Call the approved agency to verify this information.
Ask to see the agency’s signed approval letter from a Director of Medical Services, Alberta Jobs, Economy and Northern Development.
Confirm with the consultant or service provider that a certified instructor will deliver the approved workplace first aid course.

Apply to teach first aid

All workplace first aid training courses must meet CSA Standard Z1210-17: First aid training for the workplace — Curriculum and quality management for training agencies.

Applicants should refer to the bulletin, Workplace first aid approvals, for more information on how to apply and information about excluded specialty courses. Applications will no longer be accepted for excluded courses.

Agencies seeking approval are required to complete the following applicable first aid forms during the application process and should be reviewed before developing new workplace first aid courses: