Welcome to the 1st Aid Site!
Everything First Aid Related...

Can my employer require me to "be responsible" for First Aid?

I work in live stage theatre, I usher the shows and sell tickets. My employer is paying all of us our regular wages to take first aid and CPR (in canada)
However during the upcoming season she is thinking of making a policy in which one person each evening is "responsible" for responding to any first aid emergencies.
This seems to put alot of pressure on a person (like me) that in a real emergency situation wouldn't be able to keep my cool and remember how to do things properly.

I've been trained in first aid before, and I've been on the site of emergencies before (I was the emergency once.... hehe broken leg:P
I don't handle those situations well. They frighten me and I've always had someone else to pass the first aid responsibility to.

I'm wondering if my employer is able to give me this responsibility without my consent?

Public Comments

1. I BELIEVE that this would put your employer in an interesting position as far as liability goes. By saying someone's JOB is to provide care, then they are basically saying they will provide high level care and be responsible for that- and that takes a lot higher level of training than you have.

Now, having a 'first aid station' for bandages, aspirin, etc. (probably at the ticket office or coat check, etc.) or a rotating person responsible for grabbing the AED machine in an effort to ensure rapid response seems logical to me- but that is a lot different than basically asking someone to serve as an EMT for a night.

Just my thoughts, however.