First Aid Certificates

For an individual to demonstrate they have a competence in first aid they will hold a certificate that contains all of the following minimum information:

■ name of training organisation;

■ name of qualification;

■ name of individual;

■ a validity period for three years from date of course completion;

■ an indication that the certificate has been issued for the purposes of complying with the requirements of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981;

■ a statement that teaching was delivered in accordance with currently accepted first-aid practice; and

Where an alternative qualification is identified in place of FAW/EFAW we will need to seek assurance that the standard of training received and the competence of the organisation which delivered this training meet the necessary standard. This assessment may carry an additional charge.

Content of a first aid at work (FAW) course

On completion of training, whether a full FAW course or a FAW requalification course, successful candidates should have satisfactorily demonstrated competence in all of the subject areas listed in EFAW and also to be able to:

■ administer first aid to a casualty with:

– injuries to bones, muscles and joints, including suspected spinal injuries;

– chest injuries;

– burns and scalds;

– eye injuries;

– sudden poisoning;

– anaphylactic shock;

■ recognise the presence of major illness (including heart attack, stroke, epilepsy, asthma, diabetes) and provide appropriate first aid.

Content of an emergency first aid at work (EFAW) course

On completion of training, successful candidates should be able to:

■ understand the role of the first-aider, including reference to:

– the importance of preventing cross infection;

– the need for recording incidents and actions;

– use of available equipment;

■ assess the situation and circumstances in order to act safely, promptly and effectively in an emergency;

■ administer first aid to a casualty who is unconscious (including seizure);

■ administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation and use an automated external defibrillator;

■ administer first aid to a casualty who is choking;

■ administer first aid to a casualty who is wounded and bleeding;

■ administer first aid to a casualty who is suffering from shock;

■ provide appropriate first aid for minor injuries (including small cuts, grazes and bruises, minor burns and scalds, small splinters).

Suggested course content for annual refresher training:

■ Assess the situation and circumstances in order to act safely, promptly and effectively in an emergency.

■ Administer first aid to a casualty who is unconscious (including seizure).

■ Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

■ Administer first aid to a casualty who is wounded and bleeding.

■ Administer first aid to a casualty who is suffering from shock.

Paediatric First Aid (PFA) & Emergency Paediatric First Aid (EPFA) will have to be accompanied by an EFAW or a FAW certificate.

We can only accept regulated qualifications. These are nationally recognised certificates obtained from a training centre for an ‘awarding organisation’ (AO). These AOs are recognised by national qualification regulators (Ofqual, Scottish Qualifications Authority (SQA) or Qualification Wales),* have dedicated policies and quality assurance processes and must approve and monitor their training centres to ensure training meets standards set by the national regulators. The regulators stipulate that AOs and their training centres must work in compliance with the Assessment Principles for First Aid Qualifications – see the SQA website www.sqa.org.uk.

Or certificates issued by Voluntary Aid Societies,† who together are acknowledged by HSE as one of the standard-setters for currently accepted first-aid practice by the HSE as far as they relate to the topics covered in FAW and EFAW training courses.

* Ofqual is the regulator of qualifications, examinations and assessments in England. SQA (the Scottish Qualifications Authority) and Qualification Wales carry out similar functions in Scotland and Wales, as does the Council for the Curriculum, Examinations and Assessment (CCEA), in Northern Ireland.

† The Voluntary Aid Societies are St John Ambulance, British Red Cross and St Andrew’s First Aid.