Responsibilities of a Transportation Endorsement First Aid Attendant

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A first aid attendant with a Transportation Endorsement isn’t just responsible for stabilizing injured workers—they must also ensure they are safely packaged, transported, and handed off to the next level of care. Here’s what that looks like:

Pre-Planning for Effective Transport

  • Familiarizing yourself with emergency transport equipment.
  • Training coworkers to assist in patient transport.
  • Identifying who will operate the Emergency Transport Vehicle (ETV).
  • Planning meeting points with BC Emergency Health Services (BCEHS) if needed.

Providing Immediate First Aid & Lifesaving Care

  • Applying advanced first aid interventions to stabilize an injured worker.
  • Monitoring their condition before and during transport.

Choosing the Best Mode of Transportation

  • Determining whether to use spinal motion restriction (SMR), position the patient ¾-prone, or another method based on their condition.

Packaging the Patient for Transport

  • Using scoop stretchers, rigid collars, and long spine boards to secure and stabilize injured workers when necessary.
  • Ensuring proper positioning for both conscious and unconscious patients.

Continuous Monitoring During Transport

  • Checking airway, breathing, and circulation (ABC’s) every five minutes.
  • Recognizing signs of deterioration and taking appropriate action.

Effective Communication with the Next Level of Care

  • Providing clear and concise information to paramedics or hospital staff.
  • Ensuring a smooth handoff at the receiving medical facility.

Protecting Patient Confidentiality

  • Following the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPPA) regulations.

What You’ll Learn in a Transportation Endorsement Course

A WorkSafeBC-approved Transportation Endorsement course covers a wide range of practical skills and decision-making processes that prepare first aid attendants for real-world emergencies.

🔹 The Priority Action Approach

A systematic process for managing injured workers from initial assessment to transportation:

  1. Scene Assessment – Checking for hazards, understanding the injury mechanism, and identifying injured individuals.
  2. Primary Survey – Assessing airway, breathing, circulation, and immediate threats to life.
  3. Transport Decision – Determining whether to return to work, refer to a medical facility, or call for emergency transport.
  4. Secondary Survey – Conducting a head-to-toe examination, taking vital signs, and gathering medical history.

🔹 Spinal Motion Restriction (SMR) Techniques

  • Prone to Supine Spinal Roll – Moving a patient face-down to face-up while maintaining spinal alignment.
  • Sitting to Supine Positioning – Safely lowering a standing or seated patient onto a stretcher.
  • Packaging with Rigid Collars, Scoop Stretchers, and Spine Boards.

🔹 Transporting Patients Without SMR

  • Correct positioning of conscious patients for comfort and stability.
  • ¾-prone (recovery position) for unconscious patients who don’t require spinal precautions.

🔹 Care During Transport

  • Continuous patient monitoring and reassessment.
  • Communicating changes in condition to emergency responders.
  • Taking emergency action if a patient deteriorates en route.

🔹 Proper Use of Equipment & Supplies

  • Stretchers, first aid kits, gloves, and motion restriction tools for secure patient transport.

Hands-On Training: Real-World Scenarios in the Transportation Endorsement Course

A Transportation Endorsement course is highly practical, with plenty of hands-on training to build confidence. You’ll work in teams to practice:

  • Managing conscious and unconscious trauma patients.
  • Applying spinal motion restriction (SMR) in various situations.
  • Packaging and securing patients for transport.
  • Responding to condition changes en route to medical care.

By the end of the course, you’ll have the skills, knowledge, and hands-on experience to handle patient transportation emergencies with confidence.


Instructor & Training Agency Standards

Not all Transportation Endorsement courses are created equal! WorkSafeBC sets strict training standards for both instructors and agencies:

  • Instructors must be certified by a WorkSafeBC-recognized training agency.
  • Training agencies must follow WorkSafeBC regulations, policies, and course guidelines.
  • Class sizes are limited to 12 students, ensuring hands-on practice and individual attention.

When choosing a Transportation Endorsement training provider, make sure they are WorkSafeBC-approved—like us at Fundamental First Aid!


Why a Transportation Endorsement is Essential for Workplace Safety

For industries where transporting injured workers is a reality, having properly trained first aid attendants with a Transportation Endorsement is more than just a WorkSafeBC requirement—it’s a lifesaving skill.

Whether you work in construction, forestry, transportation, marine industries, or remote worksites, a Transportation Endorsement certification ensures that your team:

Meets WorkSafeBC compliance standards.
Can safely transport injured workers in emergencies.
Improves workplace safety and emergency preparedness.

At Fundamental First Aid in Vancouver, we offer WorkSafeBC-approved Transportation Endorsement training, including on-site group courses so your team can train at your workplace for added convenience.

Ready to get certified? 🚑 Book your Transportation Endorsement course today and take the next step in workplace safety!

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