First Aid at Work Courses Across the North West of England

This page is written for the person who has to organise first aid cover for a workforce — an office manager, an HR lead, a health and safety officer, a site manager. If you only need a place for yourself, our open courses are the simpler route.

We are based in Bolton and train employers throughout the North West: Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria.

What the law actually requires of an employer

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require every employer to provide equipment, facilities and personnel that are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances so that employees can be given immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.

Note what the wording does not do. It sets no minimum number of first aiders, names no course, and prescribes no contents for the first aid box. All of that comes out of the assessment you carry out for your own workplace.

Carrying out a first aid needs assessment

A defensible assessment works through the things that genuinely change your risk. Use this as the structure and write down what each means for your site:

Write it down and review it when something changes: new equipment, a new site, a significant change in headcount, or a first aider leaving.

How many first aiders will we need?

There is no ratio to quote, and any provider that gives you one is inventing it. HSE’s position is that “there are no hard and fast rules on exact numbers and you will need to take into account all the relevant circumstances of your particular workplace.”

What the assessment tends to produce in practice is a judgement about three things: whether qualified first aiders are needed at all, how many are needed to keep cover across every shift and absence, and whether the higher-level three-day FAW qualification is warranted by the hazards on site.

If the assessment concludes that trained first aiders are not needed, you must still appoint a person to take charge of first aid arrangements, look after the equipment and call the emergency services. An appointed person requires no formal training — though in most workplaces we would still suggest a one-day EFAW course for them.

The full method: how many first aiders does my workplace need?

On-site group training across the North West

For an employer with a team to train, bringing the course to you is normally both cheaper and less disruptive than sending people out:

We deliver these throughout the North West. See our group and on-site courses, or the full list below.

What we need from you for an on-site course

• A room large enough for practical work — people will be on the floor
• Somewhere to park and unload equipment
• A realistic start time that works with your shifts
• Up to 12 learners per session

Courses we deliver for employers

Deals

First Aid at Work Courses

Training only one or two people? Open course places will be cheaper.

Beyond first aid: the rest of the employer duty

First aid is one duty among several, and the same needs-assessment logic runs through all of them:

• Health and safety training — for the wider risk-management duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
• Food safety training — if you handle food, food handlers must be supervised, instructed and trained in food hygiene in proportion to their work
• Mental Health First Aid — not required by the first aid regulations, but a common part of employers’ response to their duty to assess the risk of work-related stress

Keeping certificates current

FAW and EFAW certificates are valid for three years. Put the expiry dates in a diary and book requalification before they run out — once a FAW certificate has lapsed, the two-day requalification route may no longer be available and the first aider may have to repeat the full three-day course.

HSE also strongly recommends annual refresher training between requalifications, to keep skills and confidence current. That is a recommendation rather than a legal requirement, and we would rather you heard that from us than were sold it as compulsory. See how long does a first aid certificate last?

Records worth keeping

If your arrangements are ever queried, this is the file that answers it:

• The first aid needs assessment, dated, with your reasoning
• Who your first aiders and appointed persons are
• Certificates and expiry dates
• Where the kits and any AED are, and when they were last checked
• A record of first aid incidents — which also feeds the next review

Frequently asked questions

Which areas of the North West do you cover?

We are based in Bolton and deliver on-site training across the North West of England, including Greater Manchester, Lancashire, Merseyside, Cheshire and Cumbria. Tell us where you are and we will confirm availability and any travel arrangements.

How many people can attend a group first aid course?

Up to 12 people per course. That is the standard maximum for workplace first aid training, and it keeps enough practical time per learner for the assessment to mean something.

Is on-site training cheaper than sending staff on open courses?

Usually, once you are training around four or more people, because group courses are priced per course rather than per person. You also avoid travel costs and lost working time. For one or two people, open course places are cheaper.

What is the difference between FAW and EFAW?

First Aid at Work is a three-day course covering a broader range of injuries and illnesses, aimed at higher-hazard workplaces. Emergency First Aid at Work is one day and covers the immediate life-saving essentials, and is what most lower-hazard workplaces choose. Your first aid needs assessment should decide which is appropriate.

Do we need a first aid room?

Only if your needs assessment identifies one as necessary — typically on larger or higher-hazard sites. The Regulations require facilities that are adequate and appropriate for your circumstances, which for most smaller workplaces means a suitably stocked first aid container rather than a dedicated room.

Who is responsible for checking a training provider is competent?

The employer. HSE stopped approving first aid training providers in October 2013, so it is now for you to satisfy yourself that the provider is competent — trainer qualifications and experience, the awarding organisation behind the certificate, and the provider’s quality assurance arrangements.

What do you need from us to run a course on site?

A room large enough for practical work with people on the floor, somewhere to park and unload, a start time that fits your shifts, and up to 12 learners per session. We bring the manikins, AED trainers and materials.

Can you train across multiple sites?

Yes, and it is a common arrangement for employers with several locations — the same programme delivered consistently at each site, scheduled around each one’s operating pattern. Tell us the sites and numbers and we will put a plan together.

Get a price for your team

Tell us the site, the number of people and the kind of work they do, and we will tell you what provision is proportionate and what it would cost. Call 0845 838 4643 or use the enquiry form on this page.