If you have identified that qualified first-aiders are needed in your workplace, they must have a valid certificate of competence in First Aid At Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid At Work for Appointed Person (EFAW). FAW first aid courses enable a first-aider to give emergency aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work. The workplace range of first aid courses includes the 1- day A
ppointed Persons course - this is the minimum standard requirement - all organisations must have a minimum of one person educated to this level. The findings of an assessment of your workplace can help you decide whether your staff should be trained to the 3 day course or the 1 day Appointed person. Workplace FAW first aid courses involve at least 18 hours of training and are run over a minimum of three days. Organisations offering the course need to be approved by HSE for this purpose. The Appointed Person course lasts for at least six hours and is run over a minimum of one day. The course can be offered by training organisations approved by HSE or recognised awarding bodies of Ofqual/Scottish Qualifications Authority applying a training standard set by HSE for the delivery of the course.
3 day and 1 day certificates last for three years. Before certificates expire, first-aiders will need to undertake an FAW Refresher course or an Appointed Persons course, as appropriate, to obtain another three-years certification. The Health & Safety Executive strongly recommends that first-aiders undertake annual refresher training, over half a day, during any three-year FAW / Emergency Aid for Appointed Person certification period. Although not mandatory, this will help qualified first-aiders maintain their basic skills and keep up to date with any changes to first-aid procedures.
