Add Your Heading Text Here

Kel-Dam First Aid Services provides Mobile First Aid Units and Mobile Treatment Centers in British Columbia.

First Aid Attendants

All remote worksites require medical facilities and highly trained first aid attendants to handle any emergency or medical incidents’ that may occur. This includes construction sites, logging and forestry operations, mine sites, a variety of mill operations, oil and gas sites, and any other remote work site where employees and staff are not near a city or town. The benefits of having an on-site first-aid attendant include:

  • Immediate medical attention twenty-four hours a day, ensuring safety for all on-site workers
  • Fewer site interruptions and downtime, helping to maintain site productivity
  • A higher focus on safety, potentially resulting in fewer on-site incidents being reported to WorkSafeBC
  • Cost savings throughout overall project lifespan due to increased worker safety and productivity

For isolated remote camps, such as campsites that are only accessible through fly in and out operations, the importance of First-Aid Attendants cannot be stated enough. The high degree of isolation makes these sites incredibly susceptible to risks and hazards. For workplaces that are not in particularly isolated areas, it is still always encouraged to have a First-Aid Attendant on-site to mitigate risks and respond to health and safety incidents in a timely manner.

What is a First Aid Attendant?

First Aid Attendants hold valid first aid certificates issued by certified providers. There are a variety of providers and agencies within each province, all providing the skills and training needed to practice a particular level of first aid within a certain jurisdiction.

There are many different types of training and levels of certification available. According to WorkSafe BC: “In B.C., workplace first aid attendants must have a certificate that’s recognized by WorkSafeBC. There are three levels of occupational first aid (OFA) and one OFA certificate endorsement. The level of first aid services required for a workplace depends on the number of workers, distance to medical aid, and industry hazard rating.”

Occupational First Aid Certificates that are recognized by WorkSafe BC include:

  • OFA Level 1: Basic level first aid training and certification
  • OFA Level 2: Intermediate level first aid training and certification
  • OFA Level 3: Advanced level first aid training and certification
  • OFA Transportation Endorsement: Required for transportation of injured workers

WorkSafe BC guidelines require an OFA Level 3 Certified Attendant for any high-risk worksite that requires more than 20 minutes surface travel time to get to a medical facility. This important guideline helps to keep employees safe and ensure proper medical care is always accessible.

Aid Attendants available. When on-site, our attendants oversee twenty-four hour working operations, with rotating first aid crews and vehicles if necessary. Our crews are also capable of:

  • Providing surveillance and protocol management
  • Conducting safety orientations for all staff members, contractors, and site visitors
  • Creating a personnel manifest
  • Creating emergency response plans (ERP’s)
  • Conducting hazard assessments
  • Completing safety checks where required

Different operations each have their own unique need for First Aid Attendants, dictating the level of training applicable for their situation. We offer three different levels of certified First Aid Attendants to meet our client’s unique needs, which are outlined below:

Medical First Responders

Medical First Responders are the first rescuers on the scene of an emergency. They have, at minimum, 40 hours of training and they can confidently assess both the scene and patients with their comprehensive First-Aid and CPR skills. The Canadian Red Cross recommends this level of training for professionals in the fire service, on rescue teams, on workplace response teams, for sports-medicine professionals, for lifeguards, and for ski patrols.

Occupational First Aid (OFA) Level 3 Attendants

Occupational First Aid Level 3 Attendants have the most advanced level of first aid training and certification recognized by WorkSafe BC. They are trained to treat complex injuries and rapidly mobilize patients in high-stress situations. They have knowledge of advanced maneuvers, techniques, and medical procedures, which are needed in order to assist seriously injured patients during critical emergencies. The detailed training of Occupational First Aid Level 3 also includes the best practices and critical interventions needed to treat people who experience sudden cardiac arrest, eye injuries, external severe bleeding, environmental illnesses, and shock. This certificate is designed for First-Aid attendants who work in remote worksites that are more than 20 minutes from medical aid, or for employers with a large workforce (from eleven up to two hundred workers per shift). The certification is valid for 3 years, ensuring attendants are constantly updated with the newest safety standards. Having an Occupational First Aid Level 3 Attendant on-site helps companies to prepare and respond to more difficult emergencies, reducing the potential for downtime and injury claims.

Emergency Medical Responder (EMR) Certified Attendants

Emergency Medical Responders are medical practitioners recognized by the Paramedic Association of Canada. They are able to perform appropriate initial assessments, interventions, and on-going care. They are experts in providing essential life support and pre-hospital care at the scene or during transport. Emergency Medical Responders receive fundamental medical training to respond to a wide range of trauma and medical emergencies. They receive 80-120 hours of training depending on their jurisdiction area of expertise.

Emergency Transport

Our Emergency Transport vehicles are outfitted to transport patients to BC Ambulance access (road or air access). Our trucks are equipped with four-wheel technology to allow us access to harsh terrain and are certified rollover protected. These units are easy to move in and out of remote areas and are equipped with the proper resources and equipment to allow our crews to be flexible and adaptable when needed. Our Emergency Transport vehicles possess advanced communication equipment to ensure safety compliance in remote locations, including cellular phones, GPS systems and handheld radios.

Medical Attendant Staffing

If you already possess a mobile unit of your own but need trained medical staff we have you covered. Our trained medical professionals and our EMR staff are available for contract.

Our contract crews are capable of providing surveillance and protocol management. In addition, these crews can create a personnel manifest, emergency response plans (ERP’s), hazard assessments and can complete two-hour safety checks where needed.

Not only can our crews help you meet health and safety requirements, but having our medical services on site allows for fewer site interruptions, keeping your workers where they need to be.

Having our professionally trained crews on-site means you will have immediate medical attention should any work-site incidents occur. During times of medical emergency, every minute counts.

Hiring our services can also ultimately provide cost savings throughout the overall project lifespan.