HSE increases flexibility of first aid at work training regime

Date:

23 September 2009

Release No:

E082:09

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is making changes to the first aid at work (FAW) training regime to make it more flexible - saving businesses time and money without compromising health and safety.

The new guidance will see the mandatory four-day FAW training courses reduced to three days and there will also be an option for a one day course for smaller businesses. All FAW qualified first aiders will still have to attend a two-day requalification course every three years.

The changes have been made following feedback from businesses across Great Britain. Employers recognised the need for first aid training but were concerned about releasing employees for four days training.

Dr Dil Sen, HSE Principal Medical Inspector said: "First aid can help to save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones. The revised guidance will help employers to get first aid training that suits their business needs and saves them both time and money."

It is estimated that GB businesses will save £52 million in the first year of the new training regime being available.

There are at least 750,000 FAW qualified first aiders in Great Britain and it is estimated that 100,000 new first aiders are trained each year in FAW.

The new guidance also suggests that refresher training taken annually would be beneficial to first aiders and their employers, with staff feeling better placed to deal with an incident in their workplace.

New guidance will be issued on 1 October and will be available at www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid

All FAW training companies have to be approved by HSE and there is a current approval list totalling around 1200 companies which can all be contacted via HSE's website.

Notes to editors

1. The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide suitable first aid equipment, facilities and personnel to enable immediate assistance to be given to employees if they are injured or taken ill at work.
2. For more information on the review of the regulations visit: www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/program.htm
3. There are no changes to current legislation which governs employers legal responsibilities on FAW. The only changes that have been made are to the guidance and if this is followed employers should be best placed to meet their legal responsibilities.

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