CSA First Aid Kit Types 1, 2 & 3 Explained

This guide explains the classification system in plain language. It does not reproduce the standard’s contents tables or replace provincial, territorial, federal or industry-specific requirements.

What CSA Z1220 covers

CSA Z1220 is the National Standard of Canada for workplace first aid kits. It sets out three kit classifications, minimum contents for each classification, selection requirements, container and marking requirements, and ongoing maintenance. The current second edition, CSA Z1220:24, was published in 2024 and superseded the 2017 edition as a standard.

The standard helps create a consistent way to describe a kit. It does not create one workplace first aid law for the whole country. Provinces, territories and federal regulators decide what applies to the workplaces under their authority, and a legal rule may name a particular edition of the standard.

CSA Type 1, Type 2 and Type 3 compared

Type is not the same as size

Type 2 and Type 3 kits add a second label—Small, Medium or Large. Under the CSA system, those sizes correspond to the number of workers at the workplace per shift:

• Small: 2 to 25 workers per shift.
• Medium: 26 to 50 workers per shift.
• Large: 51 to 100 workers per shift.

These bands explain the product label, but they are not the whole selection process. The applicable authority may use worker count together with hazard level, travel time to medical care, workplace class, worksite layout or other factors. For sites with more than 100 workers or separated work areas, confirm the required number and placement of kits rather than scaling up by guesswork.

Why jurisdiction comes first

Canada’s workplace first aid rules are not identical across the country. The differences are practical, not just legal wording:

• British Columbia: employers complete and document a first aid assessment. WorkSafeBC’s current system considers workplace class, workers per shift, travel time to a hospital and whether the work is remote. Its Basic, Intermediate and Advanced kit lists are based on specified CSA Z1220 classifications.
• Alberta: Schedule 2 of the OHS Code uses worker count, hazard category and whether a worksite is close, distant or isolated. Section 178(3) currently names CSA Z1220-17 for required kits.
• Federally regulated workplaces: the Canada Occupational Health and Safety Regulations use federal kit Types A, B, C and D. Those letters are a separate system; they are not direct equivalents of CSA Types 1, 2 and 3.

For a closer look at these three regimes, see our workplace first aid kit requirements guide for BC, Alberta and federally regulated workplaces.

CSA Z1220:24 versus CSA Z1220-17

CSA Z1220:24 is the second edition of the standard. It revised kit contents for clarity, added organizational and worker responsibilities, and reorganized optional items into specialized and additional categories.

Publication of a new standard does not automatically rewrite every law that referred to the previous one. Alberta’s current online OHS Code, for example, still explicitly refers to CSA Z1220-17. A supplier may stock products built to the 2017 edition, the 2024 edition or both.

What to check on a product page

• Classification and size: the title, description, product label and specification should agree.
• Edition: look for a clear reference such as CSA Z1220-17 or CSA Z1220:24 rather than a generic “CSA kit” claim.
• Exact contents: use an itemized list for the specific SKU and edition, not a generic list shared across several kit sizes.
• Container: a portable bag, plastic box or wall-mount cabinet describes the enclosure. It does not change the classification.
• Refill path: confirm that the matching refill is available and that individual expired or used supplies can be replaced.
• Documentation: keep the product specification, contents list, assessment and purchase record together.

A practical selection sequence

1. Identify the jurisdiction. Determine whether the site is provincially, territorially or federally regulated, and check for industry-specific rules.
2. Complete the workplace assessment. Record the number of workers per shift, hazards, access to emergency care, worksite layout and any barriers to first aid.
3. Determine the required kit. Use the applicable authority’s current rule to select the classification, size and quantity.
4. Verify the exact SKU. Check the claimed CSA edition and compare the contents list with the requirement you documented.
5. Plan placement and upkeep. Assign responsibility for inspections, expiry checks, restocking and records.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Buying Type 3 simply because the number is higher.
• Confusing the kit’s size label with the dimensions of its container.
• Using total payroll head count when the rule asks for workers at the site per shift.
• Treating a federal Type B kit as the equivalent of a CSA Type 2 kit.
• Using an old contents sheet with a newer-edition product—or the reverse.
• Placing one large kit where workers cannot reach it quickly.
• Buying the initial kit without assigning inspections and restocking.

Bottom line

Read a CSA first aid kit label in this order: Type, size and edition. Then compare all three with the rules and assessment for the actual workplace. That short check is more reliable than choosing the largest kit on the shelf and assuming it covers every requirement.