Oil and Gas Occupational Safety and Health Regulations (SOR/87-612)

PART XVIIFirst Aid

Interpretation

17.1 In this Part,

first aid station

first aid station means a place, other than a first aid room or medical clinic, in which first aid supplies or equipment are stored; (poste de secours)

isolated work place

isolated work place means a work place that is more than two hours’ travel time from a hospital or a medical clinic under normal travel conditions using the fastest available means of transportation; (lieu de travail isolé)

medical clinic

medical clinic means a medical consultation and treatment facility that is in the charge of a medic or a physician. (service de santé)

General

• 17.2 (1) Every employer shall establish written instructions that provide for the prompt rendering of first aid to an employee for an injury, an occupational disease or an illness.

• (2) A copy of the instructions referred to in subsection (1) shall be kept by the employer readily available for examination by employees.

• (3) Every employee, on sustaining an injury or becoming aware that he has contracted an occupational disease or an illness shall, where practicable, report immediately for treatment to a first aid attendant.

Physicians and First Aid Attendants

17.3 A physician who has specialized knowledge in the treatment of the safety and health problems that may be encountered in the oil and gas industry shall be available at all times for medical consultation.

• 17.4 (1) When there are not more than five employees normally working in a work place, other than an isolated work place, a first aid attendant shall be available.

• (2) At an isolated work place in which not more than five employees are normally working, one of those employees shall be a first aid attendant who holds at least a standard first aid certificate.

• 17.5 (1) At a work place onshore in which the number of employees set out in Column I of an item of Schedule I to this Part is normally working, that number shall include the number of first aid attendants set out in Columns II, III and IV of that item.

• (2) At a work place offshore in which the number of employees set out in Column I of an item of Schedule II to this Part is normally working, that number shall include the number of first aid attendants set out in Columns II, III and IV of that item.

• (3) Where a physician is available in a work place, the requirements of subsections (1) and (2) respecting the presence of a medic do not apply.

• 17.6 (1) In addition to the requirements of section 17.5, when there are more than 30 employees and fewer than 61 employees normally working in an isolated work place

  • (a) a medic, who may be one of the employees, shall, to the extent possible, be available in the work place; or

  • (b) when it is not possible for a medic to be available in the work place, the employer shall make arrangements to have a medic available at all times

    • (i) for consultation, and

    • (ii) to be transported to the work place.

• (2) Where a physician is available in an isolated work place, the requirements of subsection (1) do not apply.

17.7 In addition to the requirements of sections 17.4 to 17.6, at a work place in which any employee is working on live high voltage electrical equipment, one of the employees shall be

• (a) a first aid attendant who has successfully completed a CPR course; or

• (b) trained to provide

  • (i) mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, cardiopulmonary resuscitation or any other direct resuscitation method, and

  • (ii) resuscitation by the Holger-Nielson Method, Sylvester Method or other similar method.

17.8 A first aid attendant referred to in subsection 17.4(2), section 17.5 or 17.6 or paragraph 17.7(a) shall not be assigned duties that will interfere with the prompt and adequate rendering of first aid and shall

• (a) be assigned to a first aid station or first aid room;

• (b) be available at all times to employees in the work place; and

• (c) render first aid to employees that are injured or ill at the work place.

First Aid Stations

• 17.9 (1) At least one first aid station shall be provided for every work place.

• (2) A first aid station shall be

  • (a) readily available to all employees; and

  • (b) clearly identified by a conspicuous sign.

• (3) A first aid station shall

  • (a) contain only supplies and equipment that are required for rendering first aid; and

  • (b) be inspected regularly and its contents maintained in a clean, dry and serviceable condition.

• (4) Subsection (1) does not apply where a first aid room or a medical clinic that meets the requirements of subsection (2) is provided by the employer.

Posting of Information

• 17.10 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an employer shall post and keep posted in a conspicuous place accessible to every employee in each work place

  • (a) information regarding first aid to be rendered for any injury, occupational disease or illness likely to be sustained or contracted in the work place;

  • (b) information regarding the location of first aid attendants, first aid stations and first aid rooms; and

  • (c) at every telephone, an up to date list of telephone numbers for use in emergencies.

• (2) At an isolated work place or in a motor vehicle, the information referred to in subsection (1) shall be provided and kept with the first aid kit.

First Aid Supplies and Equipment

• 17.11 (1) For each work place at which the number of employees working at any time is the number set out in Column I of an item of Schedule III to this Part, a first aid kit that is of the type set out in Column II of that item shall be provided.

• (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a first aid kit of a type set out at the head of Column II, III, IV, V or VI of Schedule IV to this Part shall contain the first aid supplies and equipment set out in Column I of an item of that Schedule in the applicable number set out opposite those supplies and equipment in Column II, III, IV, V or VI of that item.

• 17.12 (1) Subject to subsection (2), where a hazard for skin or eye injury from a hazardous substance exists in the work place, shower facilities to wash the skin and eye wash facilities to irrigate the eyes shall be provided for immediate use by employees.

• (2) Where it is not practicable to comply with subsection (1), portable equipment that may be used in place of the facilities referred to in subsection (1) shall be provided.

First Aid Rooms

• 17.13 (1) A first aid room shall be provided

  • (a) where 60 or more employees are working at any time in a work place other than an isolated work place; or

  • (b) where 30 or more employees are working at any time in an isolated work place.

• (2) Paragraph (1)(a) does not apply where a medical clinic or hospital at which medical treatment is provided without charge to employees is readily accessible.

17.14 Every first aid room provided in accordance with section 17.13 shall be

• (a) under the supervision of

  • (i) in the case where a physician is available in the work place, the physician,

  • (ii) in the case where there is a medic and no physician available in the work place, the medic, or

  • (iii) in any other case, the first aid attendant available in the work place who is the holder of the highest level of first aid certificate;

• (b) located as close as is practicable to the work place and within easy access to a

  • (i) toilet room,

  • (ii) telephone, and

  • (iii) list of telephone numbers for use in emergencies;

• (c) constructed to allow for optimum ease of access to persons carrying a patient on a stretcher;

• (d) maintained in an orderly and sanitary condition;

• (e) clearly identified by a conspicuous sign;

• (f) equipped with

  • (i) a lockable storage cupboard and a counter,

  • (ii) the first aid supplies and equipment set out in Column I of an item of Schedule V to this Part in the applicable quantities set out in Column II of that item of that Schedule,

  • (iii) a copy of the emergency procedures referred to in section 18.9 of Part XVIII, and

  • (iv) information regarding hazardous substances in the work place and the first aid required to treat exposure to the hazardous substances; and

• (g) maintained, where practicable, at a temperature of not less than 18°C and not more than 24°C, measured 1 m above the floor.

Transportation

17.15 Before assigning employees to a work place, the employer shall provide for that work place

• (a) an ambulance service or other suitable means of transporting an injured or ill employee

  • (i) where practicable, to a hospital at which a physician referred to in section 17.3 practises, or

  • (ii) where it is not practicable to comply with subparagraph (i), to a medical clinic in the charge of a medic who is in contact with a physician referred to in section 17.3;

• (b) a first aid attendant to accompany an injured or ill employee and to render first aid in transit, if required; and

• (c) a means of quickly summoning the ambulance service or other means of transportation.

Records

• 17.16 (1) Where an injured or ill employee reports for treatment to a first aid attendant in accordance with subsection 17.2(3) or where a first aid attendant renders first aid to an employee, the first aid attendant shall

  • (a) enter in a first aid record the following information:

    • (i) the date and time of the reporting of the injury, occupational disease or illness,

    • (ii) the full name of the injured or ill employee,

    • (iii) the date, time and location of the occurrence of the injury, occupational disease or illness,

    • (iv) a brief description of the injury, occupational disease or illness,

    • (v) a brief description of the first aid rendered, if any, and

    • (vi) a brief description of the arrangements made for the treatment or transportation of the injured or ill employee, if any; and

  • (b) sign the first aid record adjacent to the information entered in accordance with paragraph (a).

• (2) The employer shall keep a first aid record containing information entered in accordance with subsection (1) for one year after the date of that entry.