Bulletin No.: 03/2009

PDF Version

RDIMS No.: 4957270
Date (Y-M-D): 2009-07-30

 

Training Requirements For the Person Designated to Provide First Aid on Board a Vessel and Period of Validity of First Aid Training Courses Recognized By a Province or Territory, Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care Training Certificates

This bulletin replaces Ship Safety Bulletin 02/2007, dated July 17, 2007.

Purpose

The purpose of this bulletin is to inform the stakeholders of the changes to the first aid requirements for the person designated to provide first aid on board vessels, following the update of TP 13008 – Training standards for Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care, after the coming into force of the Marine Personnel Regulations ( MPR ).

This bulletin also informs the stakeholders of the period of validity and renewal requirements of the marine first aid training certificates, the first aid training courses recognized by a province or territory and the marine medical care training certificates.

Scope

This bulletin applies to a Canadian vessel required to have a person designated to provide first aid.

This bulletin applies to the period of validity of the first aid and marine medical care training certificates.

Background

Transport Canada's Training Standards for Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care were reviewed and updated to meet the International Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers ( STCW ) Convention.

These standards were revised in the fall of 2007 after the coming into force of the MPR and a first draft was presented to the industry at the spring 2008 Canadian Marine Advisory Council ( CMAC ) meetings. The stakeholders had a one-year transition period to meet the new requirements. Consequently, the revised standards became effective on December 1, 2008.

The length of the marine basic and marine advanced first aid training courses have increased from 8 to 16 hours and 16 to 31 hours respectively following the review of the standards.

Transport Canada Policy

In order to suit the current regulatory requirements and to ensure a smooth application of the regulations, Transport Canada Marine Safety ( TCMS ) will permit for the person, designated to provide first aid on board a fishing vessel engaged on a near coastal voyage, class 1 ( NC 1), a near coastal voyage, class 2 ( NC 2), or a sheltered waters voyage ( SW ), to hold either a marine basic first aid training certificate or evidence of any first aid training course (2 days as a minimum) that is recognized by a province or territory and will consider that person as meeting the requirements of sub-section 205 (9) of the MPR .

TCMS will permit for the person designated to provide first aid on board a vessel (other than a fishing vessel) engaged on a near coastal voyage, class 2 between Canadian ports, or on the Great Lakes Basin between Canadian and/or US ports, or on a sheltered waters voyage, to hold either a marine basic first aid certificate or any first aid training course (2 days as a minimum) recognized by a province or territory and will consider that person to be meeting the requirements of paragraph 205 (9) (a) of the MPR . In the case of a NC 2 international voyage outside the Great Lakes Basin, the marine basic first aid certificate will be required.

For a vessel (other than a fishing vessel) engaged on a near coastal voyage, class 1, and any vessel engaged on an unlimited voyage, the person designated to provide first aid is required to hold a marine advanced first aid training certificate.

Training requirements for the person designated to provide first aid on board a vessel and period of validity of first aid training courses recognized by a province or territory, marine first aid and marine medical care training certificates

Validity of the marine first aid training certificates, first aid training courses recognized by a province or territory and marine medical care training certificates:

The Transport Canada  ( TC ) training certificate in marine advanced first aid (31 hours) or the TC training certificate in marine basic first aid (16 hours) completed after December 1st, 2008 and issued in accordance with revision 03 of TP 13008 – Training standards for Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care, is to be kept valid for its acceptance as documentary evidence of the proficiency of the person designated to provide first aid on board vessels and to obtain a new certificate of competency or endorsement. These training certificates are valid for a five-year period from the date of issue.

The training certificates in Marine Basic First Aid (8 hours) and Marine Advanced First Aid (16 hours), completed before November 30, 2008 and issued in accordance with revision 02 of TP 13008 – Training standards for Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care,, are valid for a three-year period from the date of issue.

The first aid training course of at least 2 days recognized by a province or territory required by this bulletin is to be kept valid for its acceptance as documentary evidence of the proficiency of the person designated to provide first aid on board vessels. These courses are valid for the period of time prescribed by the province or territory.

The TC training certificate in marine medical care, required by the MPR , paragraph  205 (8) (b), is to be kept valid for its acceptance as documentary evidence of the proficiency of the person designated to provide medical care on board vessels. These training certificates are valid for a five-year period from the date of issue.

The training certificate in marine medical care, marine advanced first aid and marine basic first aid are graded as follows:

The holder of a marine medical care training certificate is entitled to all of the rights of the holder of a training certificate in marine advanced first aid or the holder of a training certificate in marine basic first aid;
The holder of a marine advanced first aid training certificate is entitled to all of the rights of the holder of a training certificate in marine basic first aid.

Validity

To maintain the validity of the marine first aid training certificates, first aid training courses recognized by a province or territory and marine medical care training certificates, where the date of issue exceeds five years, the holder must produce:

1. For a training certificate in marine medical care: a training testimonial indicating they have successfully completed a training course in marine advanced first aid.
2. For all other training certificates in first aid; a training testimonial indicating they have successfully completed the same level of training course in first aid.

This bulletin replaces Ship Safety Bulletin 02/2007, dated July 17, 2007.

The following document is available for downloading or viewing:
Training Requirements For the Person Designated to Provide First Aid on Board a Vessel and Period of Validity of First Aid Training Courses Recognized By a Province or Territory, Marine First Aid and Marine Medical Care Training Certificates (360 KB )

To access the Portable Document Format ( PDF ) version you must have a PDF reader installed. If you do not already have such a reader, there are numerous PDF readers available for free download or for purchase on the Internet:

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Keywords:

1. First Aid
2. Medical Care
3. Validity
4. Marine Personnel Regulations

Questions concerning this bulletin should be addressed to:

Contact us at: marinesafety-securitemaritime@tc.gc.ca or 1-855-859-3123 (Toll Free).