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First Aid Regulations

Our courses comply with the 2011 Resuscitation Council Guidelines - issued October 2010. More details.

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide suitable first-aid equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work.

Regulation 3(2) states that in order to provide first aid to injured or ill employees, '…a person shall not be suitable unless he has undergone training by an approved training provider'.

You should use the findings of a first-aid needs assessment to ensure the type of training course chosen is appropriate for the circumstances of the workplace.

Refresher Training

On successful completion of a First Aid at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course, candidates are issued with a certificate for three years. In order to retain these 3 year certificates it is recommended candidates undertake an annual basic skills refresher course (years 1&2) they are then required to undertake an FAW requalification course or EFAW requalification course, as appropriate, to obtain another three year certificate.

Research has shown that following training, the practical skills of first aiders can deteriorate. Therefore, after three years, first aiders need to complete another course (either FAW requalification or EFAW, as appropriate). Within any three year certification period, first aiders should ideally complete two annual refresher courses.

Employers should make every effort to ensure that first aiders attend the relevant course within the three month period prior to certificate expiry date. The new certificate will then take effect from the date of expiry. However, where it has not been possible to re-qualify in this three month period, HSE will allow extension of the certificate for 28 days beyond the expiry date, within which an FAW requalification or EFAW course should be completed.

Anyone re-qualifying within a period of certificate extension will have their new certificate dated from the expiry date of the previous one. Any first aider who is not able to complete a course up to a maximum of 28 days after the expiry date of their three year certificate, will be required to undertake a full FAW course or EFAW course, to obtain a valid certificate.

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