WorkSafeNB has developed a summary document that highlights key changes.
Anyone who wants to use PPE certified by an alternative standard setting agency other than CSA or other agencies cited in the regulations is responsible to confirm that the equipment provides equal or better protection. Determining equal or better protection may not be straight forward but a good place to start could be to ask the supplier or manufacturer. Contacting CSA or other standard setting agencies cited in the regulation may also provide the required information. If alternate PPE is used, the employers or users must be able to provide evidence that the equipment provides equal or better protection.
If you have a kit that was in compliance with the regulation before May 29, 2020 you do not need to purchase a new kit. WorkSafeNB will allow workplaces to continue using existing kits that meet the repealed Schedule C. To help you maintain these kits, see the Schedule C- First Aid Kit Content Table. If you plan on purchasing a new kit, you must purchase a CSA compliant first aid kit.
The only marking requirement for suppliers is to include the word “first aid” 
or the symbol for “first aid” on the first aid kit container. Unfortunately, this will not be enough to determine if the kit meets the CSA requirements. As a purchaser, you can ask for a CSA-compliant kit and if you are not sure it meets the regulation, compare its contents with the CSA standard requirements.
First Aid kits that meet the CSA standard are widely available from safety equipment suppliers, first aid training agencies and online.
As of May 29, the legislation references the CSA standard for first aid kit content only. All the other requirements (first aid training, emergency first aid protocol, first aid room, first aid refresher, etc.) are unchanged.
The CSA standard lists three types of kits: personal, basic (for lower hazard work) and intermediate (for higher hazard work). The basic and intermediate kits come in small, medium and large sizes, based on the number of employees per shift. Schedule A of the New Brunswick First Aid Regulation cites only two types of first aid kits – a personal kit and a first aid Kit.
Going forward, when purchasing CSA kits, employers must follow the requirements of Schedule A for the number of first aid kits and CSA standard kit requirements with respect to the type and size.
To help clarify kit selection to comply with Schedule A, please see the First Aid Kit Selection Table
Furthermore, employers have flexibility in choosing a combination of kit sizes to best suit workplace needs. For example, an employer required to have two medium kits could comply by having four small kits or one large kit.
Schedule A of the First Aid Regulation lists the types of work that constitute high hazard work; however, section 4(3) of the First Aid Regulation requires employers to assess the risk employees are likely to face and provide additional first aid supplies, equipment, services and facilities in regard to those risks. The assessment will not only help you determine which additional industry specific items to include in your kits but also whether you should upgrade from a basic to intermediate kit. The CSA standard provides guidance on performing a workplace first aid risk assessment in Annex A and Annex B.
Automatically approving standards is also known as “ambulatory incorporation by reference.” This is when a standard with no mention of date of issue or specific version is referenced in a regulation. An advantage of ambulatory incorporating by reference is that drafting regulations can be more flexible because the regulation:
One disadvantage is that there would be little or no stakeholder consultation before the standards come into effect. While the New Brunswick government is committed to stakeholder consultation, changes are being considered with limited ambulatory incorporation by reference that could allow some stakeholder consultation before adopting a revised standard.
A PPI assessment is a medical examination to determine and measure the extent of the permanent impairment. It begins with a complete review of the claim file and is followed by a thorough physical examination of the compensable injury.
The PPI assessment determines impairment, not disability.
An impairment is objective and ratable, whereas a disability is based on numerous non-medical factors such as motivation, transferable skills, geography, job demands, etc.
