Frequently Asked Questions
about our first aid training courses
What is first aid?
Who needs first aid?
First aid at work
Becoming a first aider
Aims & responsibilities of a First Aider
The aims of the First Aider are to:
- Preserve life,
- Prevent the situation from worsening, and
- Promote recovery.
Their responsibilities extend to such time as further help arrives, often in the form of paramedics, and sometimes followed by removal to hospital or a Minor Injuries Unit.
The role of a First Aider is a crucial one, in that they are the link between someone being taken ill or have an accident or incident and that person receiving professional medical help. This first response by the First Aider is essential in buying time for the casualty, sustaining them before they receive that professional medical help.
Which course do I need?
The Health and Safety Executive guidance dictates that employers should ensure that first aiders should ‘remain competent to perform their role’, hence the recommendation that first aiders should attend annual refresher courses.
These are recommended on the evidence of the significant degree of ‘first aid skill fade’. The flow chart on the home page details the training sequence recommended by Health and Safety Executive.
The specific course you choose will depend upon the size and risk profile of the company for which you work. Typically, companies with fewer than 50 employees, in what is known as a low hazard environment, e.g. offices, will require one first aider with the Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification. Larger companies in this category will require at least one employee with the First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification for every 100 employees.
Companies operating in a higher hazard environment, e.g. manufacturing companies with machine tools, will typically require one First Aid at Work qualified employee per 50 employees.
However, these are typically quoted figures, and as every organisation differs in its risk profile, the management have to make their own assessment to determine the numbers of First Aid staff required, and which courses they should take.
Where are your first aid courses located?
Our first aid training courses are based in Frome, Somerset, at one of three main venues, or in your own company premises – Contact us for more information about this.
We can also provide courses in your location and serve Somerset, Wiltshire and Dorset including Bath, Bristol, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury, Warminster, Shaftesbury, Gillingham, Salisbury, Yeovil, Taunton, Glastonbury, Shepton Mallet, Wells, Weston-Super-Mare, Bridgwater, and more.
See our courses...
First Aid at Work is our most comprehensive course. It is delivered over 3 days (18 hours), and will qualify you to deliver First Aid at Work. This complies with the legal requirement for employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.
The First Aid at Work course is designed chiefly for workplaces in medium to high risk environment.
We can also deliver this course in the blended learning format, which involves an online study course of 6 hours. This online part comes complete with progress checks tests and a final exam, followed by 2 days in the classroom (12 hours).
Click below for more information about the course.
The Emergency First Aid at Work course takes one day (6 hours). It is designed to qualify you as an Emergency First Aider at Work. This is similar to the three-day First Aid at Work course, with the exception of some injuries and illnesses which are not covered. Examples of these include poisoning, suspected spinal injuries, anaphylactic shock, or diabetes. As such, it is considered to be suitable for employers operating in a lower risk environment.
Employers are responsible their own risk assessment and selecting which course is appropriate for them in their own workplace.
Click below for more information or to enquire about the course..