Workplace First Aid Training Renewal: When and How Should You Proceed?

Your company has five designated first aiders. All have completed their training and know what to do when an accident or medical emergency occurs.

But when you review your training records, you notice that two certificates will expire in just a few weeks.

Can those employees take a short refresher course? Do they need to repeat all 16 hours of training? Can they continue serving as designated first aiders if their certificates expire before the next session?

These questions come up regularly in Quebec workplaces.

The general rule is straightforward: a workplace first aid certificate is valid for three years. To renew it, employees must complete the full 16-hour training program again and pass the required assessment.

For employers, however, the issue goes beyond the expiration date. They must schedule training, maintain the required number of qualified first aiders on each shift and avoid having several certificates expire at once.

When employees were trained by Santinel, their employer receives a renewal notice approximately two to three months before the certificates expire. The letter identifies the employees concerned, the upcoming dates, the course types and the advisor to contact.

Here is how to plan renewals effectively.

How long is workplace first aid training valid?

In Quebec, a workplace first aid certificate is valid for three years from the training date indicated on the certificate. This applies to the certificate issued under the regulated workplace first aid program.

After that period, employees must retake the training to renew their certification. Completing the renewal before the expiry date is strongly recommended to avoid a gap in first aid coverage.

For example, if an employee completed the course on November 15, 2023, as indicated on their certificate, it would normally expire on November 15, 2026. To continue serving as a designated workplace first aider after that date, the employee must have renewed the certification.

For eligible subsidized training, funding may become available again two months before the subsidized certificate expires, subject to the applicable criteria. Employers should confirm eligibility and dates before registering participants.

The date to track is the training date shown on the certificate, not the date on which the employer received it.

Do employees need to repeat the full 16-hour course?

Yes. Renewing workplace first aid certification requires employees to complete the full 16-hour basic course again. A three- or four-hour refresher workshop does not replace this regulated training, even when a worker already has practical experience.

Why repeat the entire course? Because it covers more than CPR. Participants revisit scene assessment, safety precautions, appropriate responses to different emergencies and the responsibilities of a workplace first aider.

Procedures, recommendations and intervention techniques may also change over time. Repeating the course helps workers incorporate these updates, refresh essential skills and demonstrate their competency during the assessment.

Santinel offers a 16-hour workplace first aid training course to help employers organize these renewals.

Can training be renewed before the certificate expires?

Yes, and renewing early is the best way to prevent an interruption in coverage. Employers do not need to wait until the expiry date. They can schedule a new session a few weeks beforehand.

Early planning is particularly useful when several employees need to renew around the same time, or when people trained three years earlier have left the organization or moved to other positions. In those cases, employers may also need to train replacement staff.

For example, if two designated first aiders on the same shift have certificates expiring in December, the company could schedule separate sessions in November to maintain sufficient coverage.

After the course, employers should record the new training date and expiry date shown on the newly issued certificate. The next three-year cycle is tracked using that new certificate.

What happens if a first aider’s certificate has expired?

An employee may still remember first aid techniques after several years, but experience alone does not make an expired certificate valid. Once it expires, the employee should no longer be counted as a qualified first aider under that certification for regulatory staffing purposes.

Consider a warehouse with 40 employees on its evening shift. The employer normally needs one qualified first aider on that shift. If the person designated has had an expired certificate for two weeks, the employer must arrange for another qualified first aider to be present or take the necessary steps to restore compliance.

If a certificate has expired, the employer should promptly review available qualified staff and schedule the required training. A coverage gap should not be postponed until the next budget cycle.

Is there a grace period after three years?

Employers should not assume that a grace period applies. The general validity period is three years, and an administrative delay or postponed class does not automatically extend the certificate.

If a session is cancelled or someone cannot attend, review the applicable requirements and ensure the required first aid coverage remains in place.

Can a CPR course replace workplace first aid renewal?

No. CPR training helps participants develop or maintain cardiopulmonary resuscitation skills, but a CPR certification is not equivalent to a workplace first aid certificate.

For example, a person whose workplace first aid certificate is about to expire might complete a four-hour CPR and AED course. That training is useful, but it does not replace the required 16-hour workplace first aid course.

Different first aid programs serve different audiences and needs. Employers must therefore choose the program that corresponds to the certification they need to renew.

For additional skills development, Santinel also offers CPR and AED training, which complements rather than replaces regulated workplace first aid certification.

Do all first aid courses have the same validity period?

No. It is important to distinguish between different courses rather than recording every first aid certificate under a single category. Santinel offers various programs based on workplace and participant needs.

These course durations and validity periods reflect the programs identified in Santinel’s catalogue. Always confirm the specific program, issuing organization and requirements. For early childhood first aid, the 8-hour program is shown here; a 6-hour refresher continues to appear in some government materials and is affected by proposed regulatory changes.

Employers should clearly identify each course in their training register. This avoids renewing the wrong certification or assuming that one type of certificate meets requirements intended for another.

For employees trained by Santinel, the renewal letter specifies the course that is approaching its expiry date, along with the employees concerned, deadlines and advisor contact details.

How can you tell whether your company might be short of qualified first aiders?

A common mistake is to count everyone who holds a valid certificate without checking whether they are actually available. Vacations, sick leave, breaks, travel, shift changes and employee departures can all reduce coverage.

Imagine a company with six certified first aiders. That may seem sufficient on paper, but if all six work during the day while the company also operates evening and night shifts, some employees may not have the required coverage.

Certificate expiry dates are equally important: an employer may have enough qualified staff today but fall short in two months if several certificates expire together.

The register should bring together four pieces of information: the number of first aiders required based on workers present at the same time; qualified staff actually available on each shift; certificate expiration dates; and planned absences, departures and available replacements.

The goal is to reflect real staffing conditions, not simply how many certificates are on file.

Example: planning renewals in a company with 85 employees

Imagine a manufacturing company operating two shifts, with 60 employees during the day and 25 in the evening. Under the general rules applying to workplaces of this type, it would normally need two first aiders during the day and one during the evening shift. The company has trained five people to provide additional flexibility.

Illustrative data only.

Employees A and D should be prioritized. Training can be staggered to maintain the necessary coverage throughout the workweek.

When several employees need to renew during the same period, Santinel can organize private training directly at the workplace. This can make scheduling easier and reduce travel while maintaining the required coverage.

The register may be maintained in a spreadsheet or training management system, as long as someone is responsible for keeping it accurate.

Who should manage certification renewals?

In many companies, responsibility is shared among human resources, supervisors and workplace health and safety personnel. A clear division of responsibilities helps prevent missed deadlines.

Human resources may manage certificate dates and registration, supervisors may verify that qualified first aiders are present on their shifts, and the health and safety lead may oversee the overall first aid plan.

For teams trained through Santinel, employers receive a letter approximately two to three months before certificates expire, indicating which employees and training programs are due for renewal, relevant dates and the advisor to contact.

When should renewal planning begin?

A good practice is to review certificates a few months before expiry, then confirm registrations early enough to accommodate schedules and available sessions. For example, an employer may review upcoming expiries three months in advance.

This is a planning recommendation, not a mandatory regulatory deadline. Employers with multiple locations or shifts may be able to group training needs, but they should avoid sending every qualified first aider on the same shift to training at the same time.

How can first aid skills be maintained between certifications?

Three years can pass quickly. Some first aiders may respond to emergencies, while others may rarely have the opportunity to use their skills.

Optional refreshers, workplace emergency drills and reviewing first aid procedures can help keep knowledge current. The CNESST also provides educational resources that first aiders can consult between courses.

These resources support continued learning, but they do not replace the required renewal after three years. Employees should also know their workplace alert procedures and the locations of first aid kits and other emergency equipment.

Can a company change training providers for renewal?

Yes. Employers do not have to return to the organization that delivered the original training. However, the new provider must be recognized by the CNESST and appear on its official list of authorized training organizations for regulated workplace first aid certification.

Before registering employees, confirm that both the organization and the course are recognized for the required certificate. Similar course names do not necessarily mean equivalent qualifications.

Santinel provides regulated workplace first aid training, as well as specialized options for marine and forestry environments and a 40-hour specialized program.

Consult the official list of recognized training organizations on the CNESST website before selecting a provider.

Can renewal training be completed online?

Workplace first aid training includes both theory and practical skills that participants must demonstrate and be assessed on. A completely online course with no in-person practical component does not, on its own, meet the requirements for regulated workplace first aid certification.

An asynchronous hybrid format combines self-paced online theory with in-person practical activities and assessment. Employers should verify that the specific course format complies with the conditions of the applicable training program.

Santinel offers a hybrid asynchronous option that includes online theory followed by in-person practice and assessment. Available arrangements should be confirmed at the time of registration.

Common mistakes to avoid when renewing certifications

One mistake is assuming all first aid courses have the same validity period. Another is counting employees whose certificates have expired because they still have experience.

Employers also sometimes forget to plan for replacement first aiders while their designated staff attend training. Finally, a certificate register that is disconnected from actual shifts, breaks, vacations or absences can give a misleading impression of coverage.

A useful tracking process brings together both administrative records and day-to-day staffing realities.

Checklist: renew certificates without gaps in coverage

This checklist can be part of your organization’s annual training management process. Its purpose is to prevent missed renewals and maintain reliable emergency response coverage.

Renewing on time helps prevent gaps in workplace first aid coverage

Workplace first aid renewal is straightforward in principle: certificates are valid for three years, and employees must repeat the full 16-hour course to renew them.

For employers, the greatest challenge is often scheduling: identifying upcoming expiries, securing training places and maintaining enough qualified first aiders on each shift.

An up-to-date register, early reminders and realistic staffing plans can prevent last-minute difficulties. Renewal also gives employees an opportunity to refresh important skills and learn about changes to first aid procedures.

Are any workplace first aid certificates expiring soon? Explore Santinel’s workplace first aid training and ask our team about coordinating renewals around your workforce and operating hours.