Requalification of First-Aiders

Every three years, each first-aider who has a First Aid at Work certificate must attend a two-day course to retain their qualification. Employers are urged to schedule retraining prior to the certificate’s expiry date. A first-aider who doesn’t requalify prior to the certificate expiring is considered no longer competent to be a workplace first-aider. Such a person can requalify at any time after the expiry date by taking a two-day requalification course, but the HSE indicates that a three-day course may be preferable, especially if it has been a “considerable” time since the certificate expired. Note that the HSE considers “considerable” to be “in excess of one month.”

In addition, HSE strongly recommends that first-aiders undertake annual refresher training throughout their three-year certificate validity period. By doing so, first-aiders will maintain their skills and learn about any recent developments in the field. (Remember when the procedure for performing CPR changed? How aware were your first-aiders of this important development?)

Stewart First Aid Training has been delivering workplace first aid courses since 1991. Courses offered include First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work Requalification, Emergency First Aid at Work, and Annual First Aid Refresher. https://www.stewartfirstaid.com/first-aid-courses.aspx. All of these courses comply with Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and update learners of any changes in practice and guidelines. You can find the HSE’s guidance on the regulations at https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l74.htm.

Source: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/books/l74.htm Contains information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.