All Canadian jurisdictions require some form of first aid available in the workplace, no matter the industry. With the rise in popularity of eLearning, it’s no surprise that first aid is joining the many online training courses available. 

​We Know Training, in conjunction with our partner Action First Aid, has developed two new blended eLearning courses that meet the requirements of the Canadian Standards Association (CSA): Standard First Aid with CPR & AED, and Emergency First Aid with CPR & AED. It’s important to note that Standard First Aid meets the CSA’s curriculum requirements for intermediate first aid, while Emergency First Aid meets the CSA’s requirements for basic first aid. These courses also meet the standards for Ontario’s Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB). 

 We’ve also developed First Aid Awareness courses, CPR & AED Awareness and CPR & AED Basic First Aid Awareness. While both courses are great for general information about CPR and AED as well as what to do in an emergency, taking them does not provide certification. These awareness courses would be great for employees who are interested in having general first aid knowledge, but don’t need certification for their job. 

 With a variety of course options in mind, you might be wondering how first aid training online even works, and how it would benefit your business. Let’s look at some common reasons why online first aid training is a route that many businesses are taking. 

1. You want to reduce in-person training time for employees

 We all want more efficiency in the workplace and being more efficient doesn’t have to mean sacrificing good training. With the Standard First Aid course, you can choose what training your employees need based on your industry or type of work or purchase the whole program. 

 The blended courses in the Standard First Aid program are significant because they offer a solution to the problem of needing to teach practical, hands-on skills, but also reducing in-person training time. For instance, many areas are still under health and safety orders to reduce the size and time of in-person gatherings as much as possible due to COVID-19, but it’s also possible that some of your staff don’t require first aid certification but could still benefit from learning the basics of first aid (as we all can). 

​2. Your employees require first aid certification​

Every Canadian workplace requires some form of first aid, whether it’s an office or job site. The legislation that outlines the specific first aid requirements needed differs depending on the area, but typically there needs to be at least a first aid kit available that meets CSA standards.  

 As an example, in Ontario, all workplaces covered by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Act (WSIA) must provide first aid training to their employees. For workplaces with six or more people working during a shift, at least one of those employees needs to have a standard first-aid certificate. 

 If your employees require first aid certification, you can purchase the entire Standard First Aid program with the blended learning included and have your employees do the online portion while in the office or at home at a schedule that works for them.   

​3. Your employees would benefit from learning the basics of first aid

Some employees require first aid certification for their job, but even if they don’t, everyone can benefit from having basic first aid. Having first aid courses available online makes them more accessible and convenient to complete and gives the opportunity for more people to learn basic first aid without a time commitment of a day or two to in-person training. If first aid knowledge is the goal and not certification, employees can even choose to only take certain modules in the Standard First Aid program. 

 First Aid Training in the Workplace 

Whether it’s to meet provincial or federal legislation on first aid certification or just to give your employees a chance to gain basic first aid knowledge, the Standard First Aid eLearning program fits the bill.