First aid certificates in BC: the new levels, the old names and which one a site needs
On a sawmill upgrade, the superintendent finds one attendant’s card uses an old OFA name. A second attendant’s certificate expires next month. The crew list looks complete, but it does not show whether the actual shifts have suitable coverage.
Since November 1, 2024, BC’s certificate names are Basic, Intermediate and Advanced. Earlier certificates remain valid until expiry, and workplace first aid certificates are valid for three years. The employer’s workplace assessment determines the required level. A familiar card name, a planned course or an attendant’s presence somewhere on a large project cannot replace checking the current assessment against the actual roster.
Check the requirement against the actual work
- Start with the current workplace assessment. Locate its date, scope, required coverage and responsible person. Check whether it represents the present work, locations and shift arrangements. Send uncertainties to the person responsible for assessing first aid requirements. Avoid choosing a level from the crew’s trade name or copying the arrangement from a previous project with different conditions.
- Translate the card without changing its expiry. The former OFA Level 1 maps to Basic, Level 2 to Intermediate and Level 3 to Advanced. Record the original certificate details as well as the current name. Verify the holder and any unclear information through the appropriate provider or regulator route. Do not create a replacement card or give the original a fresh expiry merely because its terminology changed.
- Check the recognized course and actual qualification. The current Basic, Intermediate and Advanced courses run for one, two and ten days respectively; Advanced includes transportation endorsement training. Use the approved provider’s current course details to check the required qualification and any additional needs. These names describe training routes; this lesson does not authorize an attendant to perform a treatment or replace practical instruction.
- Build coverage around verified people. Put the actual attendant, certificate reference, expiry, location and planned shift in the roster. Compare that roster with the assessment and site arrangements. Identify absences, overlapping assignments and a renewal that falls during the project. Mark a proposed replacement as pending until the relevant qualification and availability are confirmed. A course booking alone does not establish coverage.
- Arrange renewal before the gap becomes urgent. Ask an approved provider which current renewal route fits the person’s certificate and circumstances. Record the booking separately from the completed qualification. Plan the interim staffing question with the responsible manager and check the assessment again when arrangements change.
Common mistakes
- Giving an old card a new expiry during translation.
- Counting a booked course as a completed qualification.
- Copying another workplace’s required level.
Checklist
Check the roster against the assessment
- Current assessment and scope located.
- Original card, current name and expiry recorded.
- Qualification and provider checked.
- Actual shift and location availability confirmed.
- Renewal and interim gaps assigned.
Check your understanding
The card uses an old name, but the holder says it is still current. What should the superintendent check?
