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Workplace First Aid Courses & Training Providers in the UK (eLearning Courses)

The Mandatory Training Group is the leading UK provider of accredited first aid courses and training qualifications, including:

• Emergency First Aid at Work
• First Aid at Work
• Paediatric First Aid.

Click here to see MTG E-Learning first aid training courses, first aid qualifications, and refresher courses.

Our content development team is led by Dr Richard Dune, who has over 20 years of experience in health and social care workforce development and governance.

Click here to see our CPD Certification Service accreditation for our emergency first at work training courses and programmes.

What is the importance of paediatric first aid training courses?

First aid at work is aimed at all industries in the UK. It aims to help employers to comply with their legal duties and offers practical and realistic first-aid support to their workforce as needed.

What is first aid at work?

People at work can suffer injuries or be taken ill. It doesn’t matter whether the injury or illness is caused by the work they do or not, it is important to give them immediate attention and call an ambulance in serious cases. You should make arrangements to ensure this happens.

It can save lives and prevent minor injuries from becoming major ones. The Health and Safety Executive requires you to provide adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment, facilities and people so your employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work. What is ‘adequate and appropriate’ will depend on the circumstances in your workplace and you should assess what your first-aid needs are.

What is the difference between first aid and emergency first aid at work?

First Aid at Work is a 3-day course taken in a three-day block or one day a week over three weeks, totalling 18 hours of training. Emergency First Aid at Work is a one day course consisting of 6 hours of training. 

A Standard First Aid & CPR/AED Level C course differs from the Emergency First Aid course because it is designed to teach you far more. This course covers many types of emergencies. That means it will go into greater depth and the time required to finish the course is usually two days (or 16 hours).

What age groups are covered in first aid at work courses?

This course is suitable for people aged 16+ who might need to provide first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work.

Who needs first aid at work training?

The workplace first aid training is for:

• Managers
• Supervisors
• Childcare Workers
• Construction Workers
• Electricians
• Firefighters
• Flight Attendants
• Jails & Prison Staff
• Lifeguards
• Social Workers.

What is covered in first aid at work courses?

The online first aid in the workplace course covers:

1. What is first aid?
2. Roles and responsibilities of a first aider
3. Who to call to get help?
4. What should be in a first aid kit?
5. Primary survey
6. Recovery position
7. Secondary assessment
8. Heart attack
9. CPR on a person and infant
10. Seizures
11. Choking.
12. Blood loss and shock
13. Amputations, penetrating injuries and objects in wounds
14. Bandages
15. Head injuries
16. Burns
17. Minor injuries
18. Anaphylaxis.

What are the 5 key steps to delivering first aid at work?

The 5 key steps to delivering workplace first aid training are:

• Conduct a first aid risk assessment
• Have enough workplace first aiders
• First aiders should attend regular refresher training
• Have the appropriate first aid equipment in place on standby
• Have an automated external defibrillator (AED) on standby.

How is first aid at work training delivered?

The workplace first aid training course may be delivered as:

• eLearning,
• face-to-face or classroom
• live webinars
• blended learning (both online and classroom training)
• any other way that can be used to teach people.

Why is first aid at work training important?

First aid in the workplace is of utmost importance as it helps to maintain the safety of all employees if they fall ill or encounter a sudden injury whilst at work. If a medical emergency does occur, assistance will be available and the safety of everyone in the workplace will be maintained as far as possible.

It helps increase the patient's comfort. If the first aider is trained well, the patient's confidence in them naturally increases amidst an emergency. Therefore, effective and adequate training in first aid helps in relieving their discomfort and reducing their suffering.

How is first aid at work training accredited?

The CPDUK accredits the first aid at work short CPD training courses, whilst the qualifications are regulated by Ofqual through the recognised various awarding bodies.

What is the role of the workplace first aider?

The roles and responsibilities of a first aider in the workplace are to:

• Manage the incident and ensure the continuing safety of themselves, bystanders and the casualty
• Assess any casualties and discover the nature & cause of their injuries or illnesses
• Arrange for further medical help or other emergency services to attend. Usually by making an emergency phone call to 999 (in the UK) or 112 (worldwide).
• If trained, prioritise casualty treatment based upon medical need
• Provide appropriate first aid treatment that they have been trained to do, and that is reasonable in the circumstances
• If able, make notes and record observations of casualties, ideally monitoring Vital Signs, and SAMPLE information
• Provide a handover when further medical help arrives
• Fill out any paperwork as required following the incident.

Does first aid at work differ from emergency first aid at work?

1. The First Aid at Work (FAW) course is designed for workplaces in a higher risk category (engineering, manufacturing, warehousing, construction, chemicals) and workplaces with a variety of underlying health conditions (heart problems, diabetes anaphylaxis, high blood pressure, etc).
2. The FAW also provides comprehensive training for those who are required to be the designated first aiders within their workplace.
3. Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) is designed for low-risk workplaces. It can also be used for staff required to be emergency first aiders or to support a designated first aider trained via the First Aid at Work course.

Does first aid at work aid differ from paediatric first aid?

First Aid Training offers both workplace first aid courses, which are focused on adult casualties, and paediatric first aid training courses, which focus on children and infants.

What should a first aid box include?

A first aid box should include:

• plasters in a variety of different sizes and shapes
• small, medium and large sterile gauze dressings
• at least 2 sterile eye dressings
• triangular bandages
• crêpe rolled bandages
• safety pins
• disposable sterile gloves
• tweezers
• scissors
• alcohol-free cleansing wipes
• sticky tape
• thermometer (preferably digital)
• skin rash cream, such as hydrocortisone or calendula
• cream or spray to relieve insect bites and stings
• antiseptic cream
• painkillers such as paracetamol (or infant paracetamol for children), aspirin (not to be given to children under 16), or ibuprofen
• antihistamine cream or tablets
• distilled water for cleaning wounds
• eye wash and eye bath.

It may also be useful to keep a basic first aid manual or instruction booklet with your first aid kit.

Medicines should be checked regularly to make sure they're within their use-by dates.

Which workplace first aid courses do the Mandatory Training Group offer?

The Mandatory Training Group offers various First Aid courses for various personnel including:

• Emergency First Aid at Work - Level 3 - Online Course - CPDUK Certified
• First Aid Awareness (Adult) Live Webinar - Level 2
• First Aid Awareness (Adults) - Level 2 - Online Training Course
• Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace - Level 2 - Online Course - CPDUK Accredited
• First Aid within the Dental Environment - Enhanced Dental CPD Course
• First Aid Requirements - Enhanced Dental CPD Course - CPDUK Accredited
• Dealing with a Mental Health Emergency in the Workplace - Level 2 - Online CPDUK Accredited
• Introduction to Mental Health First Aid in the Workplace - Level 2 - CPDUK Certified
• First Aid, CPR and AED Awareness Level 2 - Online Training Course - CPDUK Accredited
• Understanding the Role of a Mental Health First Aider - Level 2 - CPDUK Certified
• Basic Life Support - E-Learning Course - Level 1 - CPDUK Accredited
• Providing Mental Health First Aid in Specific Circumstances - Level 2 - CPDUK Accredited
• Care Certificate Standard 12 - E-Learning Course - CPDUK Accredited
• Care Certificate Standard 12 - e-Trainer Pack - CPDUK Accredited
• Paediatric First Aid Awareness Live Webinar - Level 2
• Paediatric First Aid Awareness - Level 2 - Online CPD Certified Course
• Anaphylaxis Training for Nurseries - Level 2 - CPD Accredited
• Paediatric First Aid Annual Refresher - Level 3 - Online CPDUK Accredited
• Paediatric First Aid - Level 3 - E-Learning Course - CPDUK Certified
• Basic Life Support - e-Trainer Pack - CPDUK Accredited
• Care Certificate Standard 12 - Train the Trainer Course + Trainer Pack
• Basic Life Support - Train the Trainer Course + Trainer Pack.

What is the HSE guidance for first aid at work training providers?

From 1 October 2013 HSE no longer approves training and qualifications for the purposes of first aid at work.

Training organisations who were formerly 'Approved' by HSE to deliver First Aid at Work Training can no longer claim to be HSE Approved or use their HSE Approval number.

The flexibility arising from the changes in the Regulations gives employers more choice in the first aid training they provide for their employees and who they choose to provide it.

An employer will need to undertake varying levels of due diligence (reasonable enquiry or investigation) into how they select a first aid training provider.

What are the criteria for workplace first aid training?

All first aid training providers will need to be able – and should be prepared to demonstrate how they satisfy certain criteria set by HSE. These criteria include:

• the qualifications expected of trainers and assessors
• monitoring and quality assurance systems
• teaching and standards of first-aid practice
• syllabus content
• certification.

Training organisations should also meet the criteria set by the principles of assessment for first aid qualifications.

These principles of assessment for first aid training expand on:

• competence and qualifications of first aiders
• the quality assurance systems required
• how training is delivered
• how training is assessed.

Satisfying these criteria will demonstrate to employers that you are competent to deliver first aid training. Clarity in this area will help employers comply with the law, as the Health and Safety at Work Act clearly places a duty on them to select a competent training provider.

HSE cannot advise on the quality of individual training providers or the service they provide. Similarly HSE cannot advise on the standard of quality assurance systems that a training provider may have in place. These are matters for the employer.

What is the first aid at work training requirements?

If an employer has identified that first-aiders are needed in their workplace, they must ensure that those identified to be first aiders undertake training appropriate to the need - typically this may be first aid at work (FAW) or emergency first aid at work (EFAW): 

• EFAW training enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work.
• FAW training includes EFAW and also equips the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses.
• Employers may also identify some other level or standard of training that is appropriate to their needs.

The findings of the first-aid needs assessment can help employers decide whether their first-aiders should be trained in FAW or EFAW or to some other appropriate standard. As a guide, the table in First aid at work: your questions answered suggests what first-aid personnel to provide under different circumstances.

FAW training courses involve at least 18 hours of training and are run over a minimum of three days. EFAW training courses involve at least six hours of training and are run over a minimum of one day. Other appropriate training identified by an employer should have a duration that relates to the syllabus content (as compared with FAW and EFAW) HSE continues to set the syllabus for both FAW and EFAW.

How long should workplace first aid certificates be renewed?

Certificates for the purposes of first aid at work last for three years. Before their certificates expire, first-aiders will need to undertake a requalification course as appropriate, to obtain another three-year certificate. Once certificates have expired the first aider is no longer considered to be competent to act as a workplace first aider.

What are the standards of workplace first aid training?

You should teach the first-aid management of injuries and illness, in relation to the topics covered in FAW/EFAW training courses, in accordance with:

• current guidelines published by the Resuscitation Council (UK); and
• the current edition of the first-aid manual of the Voluntary Aid Societies (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross, St Andrew's First Aid); or
• other published guidelines, provided they are in line with the two above or supported by a responsible body of medical opinion.
• Where an employer requires training other than FAW or EFAW qualifications to demonstrate workplace first-aid competence, you should ensure that common elements of the syllabus are taught in accordance with the same guidelines and that there is a sound basis for the way in which any other elements are taught.

Are E-learning and blended learning accepted for workplace first aid training?

Blended learning is an accepted method for delivery of first aid training, providing criteria outlined in section 23 of guidance (PDF).

When should first aid at work refresher training be completed?

HSE strongly recommends that first-aiders undertake annual refresher training, over half a day, during any three-year certification period. Although not mandatory, this will help qualified first-aiders maintain their basic skills and keep up to date with any changes to first-aid procedures.

Do Health and Safety Executive accredit workplace first-aid training for organisations?

Since changes to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulation 1981 on 1 October 2013, HSE no longer approves first aid training and qualifications – or first aid training providers.

The only first-aid training HSE approves is under the Offshore Installations and Pipeline Works (first aid) Regulations 1989. HSE does not run training courses.

Are you a workplace first-aider?

This guidance is written to reflect the optional four-layer framework for first-aid provision that has been in place for many years. The framework will help employers to comply with the Regulations by providing 'off-the-peg' levels of provision. These layers are:

• appointed person (AP)
• emergency first aid at work (EFAW)
• first aid at work (FAW)
• additional training.

You may choose not to use this optional framework and use an alternative means to demonstrate compliance with your needs assessment. The thinking behind this guidance, however, applies equally to whatever level of training you choose (unless alternative guidance is provided for specific instances).

What is a workplace first-aider?

A first-aider is someone who has undertaken training appropriate to the circumstances. They must hold a valid certificate of competence in either:

• first aid at work
• emergency first aid at work
• any other level of training or qualification that is appropriate to the circumstances.

Employers can use the findings of their first-aid needs assessment to decide the appropriate level at which first-aiders should be trained.

Emergency first aid at work (EFAW) training enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work.

First aid at work training includes the EFAW syllabus and also equips the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses.

To help keep their basic skills up to date, it is strongly recommended that first-aiders undertake annual refresher training.

Certificates for the purposes of first aid at work last for three years. Before their certificates expire, first-aiders will need to undertake a requalification course as appropriate, to obtain another three-year certificate. Once certificates have expired the first aider is no longer considered to be competent to act as a workplace first aider.

How many workplace first-aiders does an employer need?

The findings of an employer's first-aid needs assessment will help them decide how many first-aiders are required. There are no hard and fast rules on exact numbers and they will need to take into account all the relevant circumstances of their particular workplace.

The table in the leaflet First aid at work: your questions answered, provides general guidance on how many first-aiders or appointed persons might be needed.

Can legal action be taken against workplace first-aiders?

It is very unlikely that any action would be taken against a first-aider who was using the first-aid training they have received. HSE cannot give any specific advice on this issue as it does not fall within HSE's statutory powers.

It is recommended that you seek legal advice or advice from your employer's insurance brokers on whether their policies cover first-aiders' liability. 

Why complete your workplace first aid training with The Mandatory Training Group?

The Mandatory Training Group is the leading provider of accredited child safeguarding training courses, including:

• Emergency First Aid at Work
• First Aid at Work
• Paediatric First Aid. 

Contact our Coventry based Support Team on 024 7610 0090 or via Email to discuss how we can help your organisation with online safeguarding children training courses for your organisation.

Workplace First Aid Courses & Training - eLearning - First Aid at Work Certification Online - The Mandatory Training Group UK.