Canada – Nova Scotia Offshore Marine Installations and Structures Occupational Health and Safety Transitional Regulations  (SOR/2015-2)

General

• 270 (1) Every employer must 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 must be kept by the employer readily available for examination by employees.

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

Physicians and First Aid Attendants

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

• 272 (1) If there are not more than five employees normally working in a workplace, other than an isolated workplace, a first aid attendant must be readily available at all times.

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

• 273 (1) At a workplace in which the total number of employees set out in column 1 of Schedule 5 is normally working, the total number of those employees who must be first aid attendants is set out in columns 2 to 4.

• (2) If a physician is available in a workplace, the requirements respecting the presence of a medic do not apply.

• 274 (1) In addition to the requirements of section 273, if there are more than 30 employees and fewer than 61 employees normally working at an isolated workplace

  • (a) a medic, who may be one of the employees, must, if reasonably practicable, be readily available in the workplace; or

  • (b) if it is not reasonably practicable for a medic to be readily available in the workplace, the employer must make arrangements to have a medic available at all times for consultation and to be transported to the workplace.

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

275 In addition to the requirements of sections 272 to 274, at a workplace in which any employee is working on live high-voltage electrical equipment, one of the employees must be a first aid attendant who has successfully completed a CPR course in the last 12 months.

276 A first aid attendant referred to in subsection 272(2), section 273 or paragraph 275(a) must not be assigned duties that will interfere with the prompt and adequate rendering of first aid and must

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

• (b) be readily available to employees in the workplace; and

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

First Aid Stations

• 277 (1) At least one first aid station must be provided for every workplace and must

  • (a) readily available to all employees;

  • (b) clearly identified by a conspicuous sign;

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

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

• (2) Subsection (1) does not apply if a first aid room or a medical clinic that meets the requirements of paragraphs (1)(a) and (b) is provided by the employer.

Posting of Information

• 278 (1) Subject to subsection (2), an employer must post and keep posted in a conspicuous place accessible to every employee in each workplace

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

  • (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 workplace or in a motor vehicle, the information referred to in subsection (1) must be provided and kept with the first aid kit.

First Aid Supplies and Equipment

• 279 (1) For each workplace at which the number of employees working at any time is the number set out in column 1 of an item of Schedule 6, a first aid kit that is of the type set out in column 2 of that item must be provided.

• (2) For the purposes of subsection (1), a first aid kit of a type set out at the head of column 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of Schedule 7 must contain the first aid supplies and equipment set out in column 1 of an item of that Schedule in the applicable number set out opposite those supplies and equipment in column 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 of that item.

• 280 (1) Subject to subsection (2), if a hazard for skin or eye injury from a hazardous substance exists in the workplace, shower facilities to wash the skin and eye wash facilities to irrigate the eyes must be provided for immediate use by employees.

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

First Aid Rooms

• 281 (1) A first aid room must be provided

  • (a) if 60 or more employees are working at any time in a workplace other than an isolated workplace; or

  • (b) if 30 or more employees are working at any time in an isolated workplace.

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

282 Every first aid room provided in accordance with section 281 must be

• (a) under the supervision of

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

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

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

• (b) located as close as reasonably practicable to the workplace and within easy access to a toilet room, a telephone, and a 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 1 of an item of Schedule 8 in the applicable quantities set out in column 2 of that item of that Schedule,

  • (iii) a copy of the emergency procedures referred to in section 293, and

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

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

Transportation

283 Before assigning employees to a workplace, the employer must provide for that workplace

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

  • (i) if reasonably practicable, to a hospital at which a physician referred to in section 271 practises, or

  • (ii) if it is not reasonably 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 271;

• (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.