If you’re looking for a first aid course you can be forgiven for being a little unsure as to where to start. With a plethora of providers and a variety of courses, how do you know which is the right one for you?
First a little background. In 2013, the UK’s Health and Safety Executive (HSE) stopped regulating first aid training and qualifications and, instead, passed the buck onto businesses and individuals. Since that time, they now have to make their own decisions about whether a particular first aid course and provider are suitable for their needs. This means that businesses now have the flexibility to manage the provision of first aid in their workplace.
An employer will still need to make an assessment of their first aid needs to establish what provision for first aid is required. This obviously depends on the workplace taking into account, among other things, the number of employees, size, location and what actually goes on. For example, two places of work both employ 20 people; one is an accounting office in the city centre and the other is welding company in the countryside. These two business obviously have very different first aid needs and it’s likely the latter will need more and higher skilled first aiders.
Once you’ve established your needs based your own risk assessment, you can then decide which course is right for you.
North Wales First Aid provides a number of popular first aid courses:
Emergency First Aid at Work
An Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) course takes place over six hours and is delivered in a single day. It’s designed to equip individuals with the essential first aid skills to respond effectively to emergency situations in the workplace. This course is particularly suitable for first aiders in smaller, lower-risk environments such as offices and shops located in busy areas where an ambulance would like be on scene in minutes.
Key topics covered in an EFAW course typically include:
- Adult CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation): Learning how to perform chest compressions and rescue breaths to revive an unconscious adult.
- Using an AED (automated external defibrillator or ‘defib’): Understanding how to operate an AED to deliver an electric shock to the heart, potentially saving a life.
- Choking: Recognising and responding to choking emergencies, including the Heimlich maneuver.
- Bleeding Control: Managing minor and severe bleeding, including applying pressure to wounds and using tourniquets.
- Shock: Identifying and managing shock, a life-threatening condition that can occur after severe injury or illness.
- Minor Injuries: Dealing with common minor injuries like cuts, scrapes, and burns.
- Unconsciousness: Recognising and responding to unconsciousness, checking for responsiveness, and placing the casualty in the recovery position.
- Seizures: Understanding the different types of seizures and how to respond to them safely.
The EFAW course represents the absolute minimum an employer can do for their employees.
First Aid at Work
The First Aid at Work (FAW) course takes place over three days and is a comprehensive first aid course designed to equip individuals with the knowledge and skills to respond effectively to a wide range of emergency situations in the workplace. This first aid course is suitable for first aiders in higher-risk environments such as manufacturing and construction for example and is the most common options for workplace first aid.
The course covers everything in the EFAW course above typically on day one but in greater detail and then goes onto to include:
- Bone, Joint, and Muscle Injuries: Recognising and managing injuries to bones, joints, and muscles.
- Burns: Treating different types of burns, including thermal, chemical, and electrical burns.
- Eye Injuries: Responding to eye injuries, including foreign objects in the eye and chemical burns.
- Environmental Emergencies: Dealing with emergencies related to extreme weather conditions, such as heatstroke and hypothermia.
- Mental Health First Aid: Recognising and responding to signs of mental health distress, such as anxiety and depression.
First Aid at Work Requalification
If you have an in-date First Aid at Work qualification (less than three years old), you can take advantage of a two-day First Aid at Work Requalification course. This course is designed to refresh and update the skills and knowledge of existing first aiders. It typically covers the syllabus of the full three-day First Aid at Work course.
Outdoor First Aid
Popular with those working in the outdoor industry, the two-day Outdoor First Aid course is perfect for anyone spending time in the outdoors whether they’re a keen hillwalker or outdoor professional. If you find yourself in an environment where emergency medical assistance could be more than 30 minutes away, these outdoor first aid skills are essential.
If you’d like to learn more about first aid, let North Wales First Aid help! We run a variety of first aid courses including First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work, Outdoor First Aid and First Aid for Professional Drivers.