Skip to content
Proudly Canadian • Trusted for 25+ Years • Free Shipping on Orders $250+ • 416-417-5487
Proudly Canadian • Trusted for 25+ Years • Free Shipping on Orders $250+

Nova Scotia Construction First Aid Requirements Checklist

Nova Scotia Construction First Aid Audit Tool | First Aid Direct

Nova Scotia Construction First Aid Audit Tool

Workplace Health and Safety Regulations Part 4 (N.S. Reg. 43/2022) — CSA Z1220-24 Standard

Scan to Restock
SCAN TO RESTOCK
👋 Welcome to the First Aid Direct Digital Audit Tool for Nova Scotia Construction. Use this interactive checklist to conduct your site inspection on any device, or click print to generate a perfectly formatted paper log for your compliance records.

*These requirements are based on Part 4 of the Nova Scotia Workplace Health and Safety Regulations (N.S. Reg. 43/2022), administered by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration. Nova Scotia adopted the updated CSA Z1220-24 standard as of August 1, 2024 — kit contents reflect the 2024 requirements. Underground mining operations are governed separately under the Underground Mining Regulations (N.S. Reg. 296/2008 as amended).
🆕 Nova Scotia uses CSA Z1220-24 — the updated 2024 standard. Effective August 1, 2024, all Nova Scotia workplaces must comply with the revised CSA Z1220-24 kit standard. Key changes: arterial tourniquets are now required in all Type 2 Basic kits (all sizes); antibiotic ointment is no longer a mandatory item; abdominal pad quantities have increased in larger kit sizes; and Type 3 Intermediate kits (required for isolated construction sites) now require 2 abdominal pads in a Small kit, up from 1. NS remains the only province in Canada on the Z1220-24 standard. See the official NS Z1220-24 addendum →
⚠️ Construction sites are always classified as "Other" workplaces — never offices. Your category — Close (≤20 min to EMS), Distant (20–40 min), or Isolated (40+ min) — determines how many kits and first aiders you need, and at what certification level. Remote and rural construction sites should carefully assess their travel time. Isolated sites require Type 3 Intermediate kits and Advanced first aiders — significantly higher requirements than Close/Distant sites. See the NS First Aid Guide for the full compliance table →
🚧 Isolated Workplace First Aid Plan: If your construction site is Isolated (40+ min from EMS), you may be required to have a written Isolated Workplace First Aid Plan for that site. The plan must describe how the site will meet minimum standards, the method of transporting injured workers, the method of communication with/from the site, and a description of the nature of work performed. Consult your JOHSC or health and safety representative when drafting the plan. (NS WHSR Part 4, Section 4.16)

Part A: Construction Site & Industry-Specific Standards

Part B: Nova Scotia Administrative Requirements (All Workplaces)

Part C: Select your workplace category and shift size to verify kit count, first aider certification level, and full CSA Z1220-24 contents checklist:

Construction sites are always classified as "Other" workplaces (never offices). Note: 1 Medium kit = 2 Small kits; 1 Large kit = 4 Small kits. Isolated sites (40+ min from EMS) require Type 3 Intermediate kits and Advanced-certified first aiders.

🟢 Close Workplace — ≤20 min to Emergency Medical Services
🟡 Distant Workplace — 20–40 min to Emergency Medical Services
🔴 Isolated Workplace — 40+ min to Emergency Medical Services
☝️ Select your workplace category and shift size above to reveal the required kit count, first aider certification level, and full CSA Z1220-24 contents checklist for your construction site.

Part C: Close Workplace — 2–25 Workers per Shift

Part C: Close Workplace — 26–50 Workers per Shift

Part C: Close Workplace — 51–99 Workers per Shift

Part C: Close Workplace — 100–199 Workers per Shift

Part C: Close Workplace — 200+ Workers per Shift

Part C: Distant Workplace — 2–25 Workers per Shift

Part C: Distant Workplace — 26–50 Workers per Shift

Part C: Distant Workplace — 51–99 Workers per Shift

Part C: Distant Workplace — 100–199 Workers per Shift

Part C: Isolated Workplace — 2–25 Workers per Shift

Part C: Isolated Workplace — 26–50 Workers per Shift

Part C: Isolated Workplace — 51–99 Workers per Shift

Missing Supplies? Don't fail your site inspection.

Ensure your kits meet Nova Scotia's CSA Z1220-24 standard — including the new arterial tourniquet requirement and Type 3 Intermediate kit contents for isolated construction sites. Click below to order compliant restock supplies.

🛒 Restock Missing Items Now
Scan to Restock
SCAN TO RESTOCK

Understanding Nova Scotia Construction Site First Aid Requirements

Nova Scotia construction workplace first aid is governed by Part 4 of the Workplace Health and Safety Regulations (N.S. Reg. 43/2022), administered by the Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration. Construction sites are always classified as "Other" workplaces — never offices — meaning they face the higher-tier kit and first aider requirements in Table 1 of the NS First Aid Guide. (Underground mining operations are governed separately under the Underground Mining Regulations, N.S. Reg. 296/2008 as amended.) Nova Scotia references its first aid standards as "ambulatory," meaning the latest CSA version is automatically in force. On August 1, 2024, Nova Scotia became the first Canadian province to enforce the CSA Z1220-24 standard, requiring arterial tourniquets in all Type 2 Basic kits, increasing abdominal pad quantities in larger kits, and updating Type 3 Intermediate kit contents.

Unlike most other provinces, Nova Scotia categorizes workplaces by surface travel time to emergency medical services — creating Close (≤20 min), Distant (20–40 min), and Isolated (40+ min) categories. For construction, this distinction is critical: remote sites and rural worksites are more likely to be Distant or Isolated, and the first aid obligations escalate significantly. Isolated construction sites require Type 3 Intermediate kits (which include eye dressings, cold packs, splints, larger pressure dressings, and a glucose source) and Advanced-certified first aiders — the highest level of workplace first aid certification under CSA Z1210, requiring approximately 70 hours of training. Isolated sites over 10% occupancy may also require a written Isolated Workplace First Aid Plan under Section 4.16 of the WHSR.

Additional construction-specific obligations include: work vehicles used to transport employees must carry a Type 2 Small first aid kit; driver-only vehicles must carry at minimum a Type 1 kit; multi-employer sites may share first aid services under a written agreement kept on file; and sites with 200 or more employees on shift must have a dedicated first aid room meeting all requirements in Section 4.12 of the WHSR. NS also imposes strict record-keeping requirements — all first aid incidents must be recorded and retained for five years, including the nature of injuries, treatment provided, first aider certification held, and person the injury was reported to. Employers must pay for first aider training and employee wages during training time.