Open First Aid at Work Courses in Manchester, Wigan and Bolton

If you need one or two people trained rather than a whole team, an open course is almost always the cheaper option. You book a place, turn up at one of our venues, and train alongside people from other local organisations.

This page explains which course you need, what the law actually asks of you, what the day involves, and how to book. If you would rather we came to your workplace and trained everyone at once, see our on-site group courses instead.

Open or group? The cost comparison

The tipping point is usually around four people. Below that, open places win on cost; above it, a group course does — and you also stop losing travel time.

Which first aid course do I need?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) does not tell you which course to put people on. Instead, the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to carry out a first aid needs assessment and provide what is “adequate and appropriate” for your workplace.

In practice, that assessment usually points to one of these:

• Lower-hazard workplaces — offices, shops, most small businesses — commonly choose EFAW (1 day).
• Higher-hazard workplaces — manufacturing, construction, warehousing, workplaces using machinery or hazardous substances — commonly choose FAW (3 days).
• Lead first aiders in any organisation often take FAW even where the workplace is lower-hazard, because they will be the person taking charge.
• Schools, nurseries and childcare normally need Paediatric First Aid rather than FAW or EFAW.

If you are not sure which applies, call us on 0845 838 4643 and we will talk it through with you. It takes five minutes and it is free. For the full syllabus comparison, see 1 day or 3 days?

How many first aiders does my workplace need?

There is no fixed number. HSE is explicit about this: “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.”

The number comes out of your needs assessment, which should consider the hazards and risks present, the size of your workforce, how spread out your site is, shift patterns, and whether you have lone or travelling workers.

One point that is often missed: if your assessment decides you do not need a qualified first aider, you must still appoint a person to take charge of first aid arrangements, look after the kit and call the emergency services. An appointed person does not need any formal training.

Full method: how many first aiders does my workplace need?

What the day involves

Worth knowing before you book, especially if you are sending someone who has never done this:

• Practical throughout — you will be on the floor with a manikin within the first couple of hours.
• No written exam. Assessment is practical and continuous.
• Maximum 12 learners, so nobody spends the day watching.
• You practise on manikins and an AED trainer, never on each other.
• Wear comfortable clothes you can kneel in.
• Tell us in advance about anything affecting kneeling or physical exertion — a back or knee problem, pregnancy, limited mobility.

More detail: what you learn on a one-day course.

Book an open first aid course

These are our currently bookable open courses. Prices shown are per person.

First Aid at Work Courses

Emergency First Aid Open Course £85.00 Excluding Vat View course → First Aid at Work Open Course £165.00 Excluding Vat View course → First Aid at Work ReQual Open Course £95.00 Excluding Vat View course → Paediatric First Aid Open Course £105.00 Excluding Vat View course →

Need a date that is not listed, or training for more than a few people? Ask us about a group course — for teams it is usually cheaper than booking individual places.

Renewing an expiring certificate

First aid certificates are valid for three years. Plan the renewal before the expiry date — if a FAW certificate lapses, you may have to sit the full three-day course again rather than the shorter two-day requalification.

HSE also strongly recommends annual refresher training during the three-year certification period to keep skills current. Note that HSE is clear this refresher is a recommendation, not a legal requirement — some training providers present it as compulsory, which is not correct. See how long does a first aid certificate last?

Talk to us about the right course

We have been delivering workplace training since 1996, and we are happy to tell you if you need less training than you think. Call 0845 838 4643, or use the enquiry form on this page and we will come back with dates and a price.