Bulletin No.: 03/1994

Date (Y-M-D): 1994-03-08

Subject: First Aid Certificates

This Bulletin has been replaced by Bulletin No. 14/1999.

1. Purpose

1.1 This bulletin sets out current policy with respect to approved first aid course requirements for certification.

2. Authorities

2.1 Certification regulations require a first aid course of 8 and 16 hour duration for ratings and certificated personnel respectively. Previously accepted first aid certificates issued for 6 hour and 13 hour courses were accepted because of improved presentation techniques however the subject material was found to be too diversified resulting in some critical modules being omitted. As such the first aid training was not standardized.

3. Certificates

3.1 First Aid Certificates issued by St John Ambulance and the Canadian Red Cross which bear the title Seafarers Level 1 are accepted for ratings, and First Aid Certificates which bear the title Seafarers Level 2 are accepted for certificated personnel. First Aid Certificates listed below may not include the expressions Seafarers Level 1 or Level 2, but are also accepted for ratings and certificated personnel.

3.2 Approved bodies are also listed below together with the acceptable certificates or cards which they issue.

3.2.1The Canadian Red Cross Society (see Note)

Standard first Aid Course of 16 hours duration or more and its associated card for all certificates of competency.

Emergency First Aid Course of 8 hours duration or more and its associated card are acceptable for MED certificate, but not for certificates of competency.

3.2.2 The Saint John Ambulance Association (see Note)

Standard First Aid Course of 16 hour duration or more and its associated card for all certificates of competency.

Emergency First Aid Course of 8 hours duration and associated card for MED certificate.

3.2.3 Workers Compensation Board of British Columbia

The industrial First Aid Course and its associated cards graded either"C", "B", "A" or "AA" are acceptable and the validity correlates with the grade as indicated;

Grade "C" - 1 year Grade "B" - 2 years Grade "A" - 3 years Grade "AA" - 4 years

3.2.4 La Commission de santé et de la Sécurité du travail du Québec.

Emergency First Aid Courses of 8 hours duration or more for Seafarers Level 1 and Standard First Aid courses of 16 hours duration or more for Seafarers Level 2 and approved by La commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail du Québec are acceptable.

3.2.5 SOS Technologies Action Urgence.

Secourisme en milieu de travail, a 16 hour course approved by La commission de la santé et de la sécurité du travail du Québec is acceptable for Seafarers Level 2.

Secourisme en milieu de travail/Avancé, a 40 hour course encompassing the course in (a) above for Seafarers Level 2.

4. New Standard for First Aid Training

4.1 Acceptable 8 and 16 hour first aid courses must include the following modules:

4.1.1 Seafarers Level 1 First Aid Course

1. General principles,
2. Stopping of bleeding,
3. Management of shock,
4. Artificial respiration and CPR,
5. Treatment of burns, frost-bite and hypothermia,
6. Treatment of effects of exposure to electric shock, corrosives and toxic chemicals.

4.1.2 Seafarers Level 2 Certification First Aid Course

1. Anatomy and physiology,
2. General principles,
3. Positioning of casualty,
4. Stopping of bleeding,
5. Management of shock,
6. Treatment of wounds, fractures, sprains, strains and dislocations,
7. Unconscious casualty,
8. Artificial respiration and CPR,
9. Treatment of burns, frost-bite, hypothermia,
10. Treatment of the effects of electric shock, corrosives, and toxic chemicals,
11. Miscellaneous emergencies,
12. Rescue and transportation of casualty,
13. Simple dressings, uses of triangular bandage and emergency kit,
14. Examination.

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