Running a small business in Vancouver comes with a long list of legal boxes to tick, and workplace first aid is one that many owners only think about after an inspection notice arrives. WorkSafeBC does not set one flat number for every business. Instead, your requirement is calculated from three specific factors unique to your workplace. This guide breaks down exactly how that calculation works, walks through the current certification levels, and shows you how to figure out your number with confidence instead of guesswork.
There is no single number of first aid attendants required for every BC business. Your requirement depends on three factors set out in Schedule 3-A of the OHS Regulation: your hazard rating (low, moderate, or high), your maximum number of workers per shift, and how accessible your workplace is to an ambulance. You combine these three inputs, then consult Schedule 3-A to find your exact attendant count and certification level.
Knowing these three inputs is the fastest way to figure out where your business actually lands, so let’s walk through each one.
Why WorkSafeBC Uses a Formula, Not a Flat Rule
A five-person accounting office and a forty-person warehouse face very different risks, so it would not make sense for WorkSafeBC to apply the same first aid rule to both. Instead, Section 3.16 of the OHS Regulation requires every employer to complete a written first aid assessment that accounts for their specific workplace conditions.
This approach means two businesses with the same headcount can have completely different requirements if one works with machinery and the other does not. It also means your requirement can change over time as your hazard rating, staff count, or location changes, which is why WorkSafeBC requires the assessment to be reviewed every year.
The Three Factors That Determine Your Requirement
1. Hazard Rating
WorkSafeBC assigns every business a hazard rating of low, moderate, or high, based on your classification unit. You can find this rating on the classification unit description WorkSafeBC sends you annually, or by checking your account online. A quiet retail shop or office typically falls into the low-hazard category, while businesses involving machinery, chemicals, or physical labour usually rank moderate to high.
2. Maximum Number of Workers Per Shift
Your requirement is based on the largest number of workers present at your specific location during any single shift, not your total company headcount across all locations. If you run a restaurant with 6 staff on a quiet Tuesday and 14 on a busy Saturday night, your assessment must be based on 14, since that is your peak shift size.
3. Accessibility to an Ambulance
If a BC Emergency Health Services ambulance would normally take more than 30 minutes to reach your workplace, WorkSafeBC classifies you as “less accessible.” This applies to some businesses outside the core Vancouver and Surrey urban areas. Less accessible workplaces require a higher level of first aid coverage, since help will take longer to arrive.
How the Formula Works in Practice
Once you know your hazard rating, your peak worker count, and your accessibility classification, you cross-reference all three against Schedule 3-A of the OHS Regulation. Schedule 3-A tells you exactly how many attendants you need and what certification level each attendant must hold.
As a general pattern, small, low-hazard businesses with a handful of staff often need just one attendant holding the entry-level certification. As worker count climbs, hazard rating increases, or accessibility drops, the requirement scales up, both in the number of attendants needed and the depth of training each one must have. Because the exact numbers depend on your specific inputs, the safest approach is to run your own numbers through WorkSafeBC’s official assessment tool rather than relying on a generic table.
The Certification Levels You Need to Know
In November 2024, WorkSafeBC replaced the old OFA Level 1, 2, and 3 system with new certification names that align with national CSA standards.
| Certification Level | Formerly Known As | Training Length | Typical Use |
| Basic First Aid | OFA Level 1 | 7 hours | Small, low-hazard workplaces |
| Intermediate First Aid | OFA Level 2 | 14 hours | Mid-sized or moderate-hazard workplaces |
| Advanced First Aid | OFA Level 3 | 70 hours | Large, high-hazard, or remote worksites |
If your attendants already hold valid OFA Level 1, 2, or 3 certificates, those remain recognized as equivalent to the new levels until they expire. Older OFA certificates can stay valid up to November 2027, so you do not need to rush out and replace a certificate that still has time left on it.
What Counts as a “Less Accessible” Workplace?
This distinction matters more than many business owners realize. If your business sits well within Vancouver or Surrey’s city core, you are very likely within the standard accessibility range. If you operate a satellite location further out, on an island, or in an area where ambulance response regularly exceeds 30 minutes, your first aid requirement increases, even if your staff count and hazard rating stay the same.
If you run multiple locations across the Lower Mainland, it is worth assessing each one separately, since accessibility and hazard rating can both shift from site to site.
Steps to Determine Your Exact Requirement
Rather than guessing, follow this process to land on an accurate number for your business:
- Find your hazard rating on your WorkSafeBC classification unit description
- Identify your peak shift size, based on the highest number of workers present at once
- Check your accessibility classification, based on expected ambulance response time
- Cross-reference these three factors against Schedule 3-A of the OHS Regulation
- Document your assessment in writing, including input from your joint health and safety committee or worker representative if you have one
- Review the assessment annually, or whenever your staff count, hazard rating, or location changes
What Happens If You Get It Wrong
If a WorkSafeBC officer inspects your workplace and finds you understaffed on first aid attendants, or your attendants hold an outdated or insufficient certification level, you can face compliance orders and penalties. Beyond the financial risk, an under-covered workplace leaves your staff waiting longer for help during a real emergency, which is the actual reason this rule exists in the first place.
Our guide on various first aid levels breaks down the differences between Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced certification in more detail if you want a deeper comparison before booking training for your team.
Booking Training for Your Team in Vancouver and Surrey
Once you know your required certification level and attendant count, the next step is booking the right course for your staff. At Primary Care First Aid, we run WorkSafeBC-recognized Occupational First Aid Level 1 and Occupational First Aid Level 2 courses across Vancouver and Surrey, along with group booking options for teams of five to ten employees or more. This makes it easy to get your entire designated attendant group certified in a single, efficient session.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many first aid attendants does my business need in BC?
There is no fixed number for every business. Your requirement depends on your hazard rating, your maximum number of workers per shift, and how accessible your workplace is to an ambulance. You determine your exact number by cross-referencing these three factors against Schedule 3-A of the OHS Regulation.
Is my old OFA Level 1 or 2 certificate still valid?
Yes. Active OFA Level 1, 2, and 3 certificates remain recognized as equivalent to the new Basic, Intermediate, and Advanced levels until they expire, with a latest possible expiry of November 2027.
Do I need to count my total company staff or just one location?
Your first aid assessment is based on the maximum number of workers present at that specific location during any single shift, not your total headcount across all business locations.
What makes a workplace “less accessible” under WorkSafeBC rules?
A workplace is classified as less accessible if a BC Emergency Health Services ambulance would normally take more than 30 minutes to reach it. This typically applies to remote or rural locations outside core urban areas.
How often do I need to redo my first aid assessment?
WorkSafeBC requires you to review your written first aid assessment annually, and again whenever your worker count, hazard rating, or workplace location changes significantly.
Get Your Numbers Right the First Time
First aid coverage is not a paperwork exercise you complete once and forget. It is a live requirement that shifts with your team size, your risk level, and even the neighbourhood your business operates in. Running your specific numbers through the three-factor formula, rather than assuming a flat rule applies to every business, is the only way to know exactly what your workplace needs.
Once you have your number, booking the right level of training for your designated attendants keeps your business compliant and, more importantly, keeps your staff genuinely protected if something goes wrong.
