Emergency codes

Code white in the hospital: what it means and who responds

Code white signals a violent or threatening person. Who calls it, who responds, what each responder does and what the law requires of the employer.

October 10, 2026 · Lire en français

Emergency codes

Over the loudspeaker of a hospital or a CHSLD (long-term care centre), "code white" followed by a location calls for backup near a violent or threatening person. Here is what Quebec's official sources say about code white in the hospital.

What code white means

The ASSTSAS, the joint health and safety association of the health and social services sector, defines code white as an emergency procedure in response to a request for immediate help from a staff member. Help is needed when a person, through violent or threatening behaviour, is a danger to their own safety and that of others.

The CISSS des Laurentides (integrated health and social services centre) sums it up this way in its March 2024 sheet: "Agression/menace à la personne" (assault or threat to a person).

According to the ASSTSAS, code white protects the physical and psychological health and safety of people exposed to violence at work.

Why a colour code

According to the CISSS des Laurentides, calling a code is a signal that designated staff respond to, with the cooperation of all staff. Using a code avoids alarming patients and visitors.

When code white is called

The ASSTSAS gives the rule: calling a code white is necessary when the situation risks escalating beyond what the responders can safely handle.

The call goes through the facility's devices. The ASSTSAS lists the panic button, the phone call, the overhead page, the portable two-way radio and the pager. With an overhead page, the start and end of the intervention are announced.

Pre-code white and code white

	Pre-code white	Code white
Situation	Request for assistance when escalation is possible	Emergency
Timing	Pressing intervention, but not urgent	Rapid response, the danger is serious and immediate
Call	Local and often silent	Often overhead

Table source: ASSTSAS, technical sheet 15.

The ASSTSAS recommends favouring the pre-code white to reduce physical and psychological risks.

Who responds to a code white

A code white always calls for a structured, coordinated and safe team intervention. The code white team brings together the people who answer the call and the responders on site.

Its makeup changes from one facility to another. According to the ASSTSAS, it may be an officially formed brigade, a group of designated people, for example one attendant per floor, or whoever is available at the time of the event.

A patient care attendant (PAB) can therefore be part of the team. The procedure of their facility sets their role and limits.

The three roles

The leader assesses the person and the context. The leader is the only one who speaks, directs and decides
The team members ensure the immediate safety of other people and follow the leader's instructions
The support staff look after the other patients and clear the access routes

The principles of intervention

The ASSTSAS names seven:

Ensure your own safety
Make protecting people the priority
Take the time to structure, organize and carry out the intervention
Prevent or defuse escalation
Stay calm
Follow up after the event
Use physical intervention only as a last resort

The sheet adds one instruction: do not take risks beyond your real ability to intervene. Otherwise, call 911.

After the code white

The post-event debriefing has two phases, according to the ASSTSAS. First, take care of the responders and, if needed, refer them to support resources. Then, review the intervention and decide on corrective measures.

The facility's code white lead also encourages reporting incidents and accidents related to violence.

The Oméga training

The ASSTSAS Oméga training for workers lasts four days, in person. Each day is the prerequisite for the next.

Day	Theme	Who it is for
1	Prevention	Anyone in contact with clients who may show aggression
2	Protection	Anyone who interacts with a client showing aggression
3	Intervention	Staff responsible for verbally resolving violent crises
4	Crisis management	Staff responsible for physical crisis intervention, as a team

Source: ASSTSAS, summary of the Oméga training for workers, 2026.

The facility chooses who takes which days.

What the law requires of the employer

Section 51 of the Act respecting occupational health and safety requires the employer to protect the health and ensure the safety and physical and mental well-being of the worker. Paragraph 16 requires the employer to take measures to protect workers exposed to physical or psychological violence in the workplace.

The other codes

Our articles on the other codes: code blue, code pink, code purple, code yellow and code red. All the colours are gathered in the table of hospital colour codes.

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Frequently asked questions

What is a code white in a hospital?

It is the emergency procedure called when a violent or threatening person endangers their own safety or that of others. A staff member asks for help, and the code white team goes to the scene.

What are the codes in hospitals?

The CISSS des Laurentides lists eleven in its March 2024 sheet: white, blue, brown, grey, yellow, silver, black, orange, pink, red and green. Red signals a fire, green an evacuation, yellow a patient who has run away. The list and the definitions vary from one facility to another.

What is a code blue?

At the CISSS des Laurentides, code blue signals a medical emergency. Code pink signals a paediatric medical emergency there.