Online first aid courses

Georgia follows the federal OSHA rule (29 CFR 1910.151(b)): no fixed first-aider-to-worker ratio, but where no infirmary or hospital is in near proximity, the employer must ensure one or more persons are adequately trained to render first aid. OSHA reads 'near proximity' as a 3-4 minute emergency-response time for higher-hazard workplaces and up to 15 minutes for low-hazard offices.

Georgia childcare licensing (Ga. Comp. R. & Regs. r. 591-1-1-.14), administered by Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning (DECAL), requires all direct-care staff to hold pediatric CPR (renewed every 2 years) and pediatric first aid, with new hires certified within 45 days. Whenever children are present, at least 50% of caregivers on site and one staff member per classroom must hold current pediatric CPR and first aid.

Georgia's O.C.G.A. § 51-1-29 grants immunity to any person who in good faith and without compensation renders emergency care at the scene of an accident or emergency, excluding willful or wanton misconduct. A separate statute, O.C.G.A. § 51-1-29.3, protects AED operators, premises owners, supervising physicians and trainers, and there is no legal duty to rescue.

The Georgia Board of Nursing makes continued competency a condition of renewal, accepting 30 contact hours per two years as one option, and permits CPR, ACLS, PALS or NRP from a recognized approving entity to count toward those hours. A single recognized, documented course both meets the obligation and counts toward the hours, provided proof is kept.

In Georgia, the Department of Community Health (DCH) requires hands-on care staff in personal care homes and assisted living communities to obtain CPR and first-aid certification within 60 days of hire, unless already certified. A recognized, up-to-date certificate meets this obligation, in addition to occupational training, and must be renewed periodically.

Georgia's Division of Family and Children Services (DFCS) requires all primary and secondary foster caregivers, including kinship foster homes, to be certified in CPR and first aid from a recognized organization before final approval. Certification must be kept current and is verified at each family re-evaluation, with training costs reimbursable.

Online CPR and first aid training is recognized in Georgia for personal, childcare-licensing, and employer purposes, with a 3-year certification validity. OSHA does not prohibit online training for the workplace requirement but recommends hands-on skills practice (OSHA 3317); blended training with a practical skills assessment is accepted.