First Aid at Work Course

Serious workplace incidents don't wait for convenient timing, and the First Aid at Work Course exists to make sure someone on site always has the practical skills and confidence to respond properly. Covering the full range of first aid emergencies a workplace might encounter, this course gives nominated First Aiders the knowledge to assess, treat and manage incidents until professional medical help arrives, in line with HSE guidance and legal obligations.

Not sure whether your workplace needs this course or the shorter Emergency First Aid at Work Course? The First Aid at Work Course runs over three days with a minimum of 18 hours of training, covering a much broader range of injuries, illnesses and emergency scenarios, and is the right choice wherever a risk assessment identifies the need for a fully qualified First Aider rather than emergency-only cover. Employers nominating a First Aider should look for someone with an aptitude for absorbing knowledge and skills, the ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures, and duties that won't prevent them responding immediately when needed.

The First Aid at Work Course covers everything from basic life support, CPR and AED use through to managing fractures, burns, chest pains, strokes and diabetic emergencies, giving delegates a genuinely comprehensive grounding rather than a narrow checklist of procedures. Certification is valid for three years, and the HSE strongly recommends all first aiders complete a half-day refresher course annually to keep their skills sharp in between.

Please note that a medical declaration applies: anyone currently suffering or with a history of back, neck, arm or knee problems, rupture or hernia, heart disease, high blood pressure, bronchitis, asthma or chest problems, blackouts, seizures or epilepsy, or anyone currently or recently pregnant, is advised to check with their GP before attending, and the training provider reserves the right to prevent a delegate from completing the course where safety could be put at risk.

At the end of the First Aid at Work Course candidates will be able to:

• Assess and prioritise a first aid incident
• Deal with an unconscious casualty
• Carry out resuscitation (CPR)
• Control bleeding and manage shock
• Deal with injuries to bones, muscles and joints
• Deal with a casualty suffering burns and scalds
• Manage eye injuries
• Deal with casualties overcome by fumes or suffering from poisoning
• Deal with a broad range of common injuries and illnesses until the arrival of medical care
• Maintain first aid records
• Use and maintain first aid kits
• AED (use of an AED, chain of survival, safety considerations)

The First Aid at Work Course will cover the following topics:

• First Aid Priorities
• Managing Incidents
• Basic Life Support
• Examination of a Casualty
• Unconsciousness
• Control of Bleeding
• Fractures
• Burns and Scalds
• Common Illnesses
• Chest Pains including Heart Attacks & Angina
• Eye Injuries
• Head injuries
• Seizures (Adults)
• Shock
• Asthma
• Fainting/Feeling Faint
• Low Blood Sugar/Diabetic Emergencies
• Allergic reaction
• Stroke
• Spinal injuries
• Dressings
• Recording and Reporting
• Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations
• First Aid Kits

Delegates on the First Aid at Work Course are assessed via continuous trainer observation and written assessments. On successful completion of the course and assessments, the delegate receives their First Aid at Work Certificate, valid for three years. The HSE strongly recommends that all first aiders complete a half-day refresher course annually.

The First Aid at Work Course is for nominated workplace first aiders, or anyone wanting a comprehensive introduction to first aid.

A medical declaration applies to the First Aid at Work Course. For the safety of yourself and others, it's recommended that anyone currently suffering, or who has ever suffered, from back, neck, arm or knee problems, rupture or hernia, heart disease, high blood pressure, bronchitis, asthma or chest problems, or blackouts, seizures or epilepsy, checks with their GP before attending the course. The same applies to anyone currently or recently pregnant. It's the employer's responsibility to choose a person who can physically fulfil the role of a first aider in the workplace, and the training provider reserves the right to prevent a delegate from completing the course if any of the above apply and the trainer feels the delegate could put themselves or others at risk.