HSE release draft guidance for first aid regulations
The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) will no longer approve first aid training providers.
Following the review of the Health & Safety Regulations (First Aid) 1981 by Professor Ragnar Löfstedt, the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has produced draft papers outlining changes to the HSE approval process for first aid training.
The HSE will no longer approve first aid training providers. The changes are due to come into effect on 1st October 2013, subject to ministerial approval.
Removing the HSE approval will give employers greater flexibility in choosing a training provider and finding appropriate first aid training. Following this change, employers will still have to ensure they have an adequate number of first aiders based on their needs assessment and will have to select a competent training provider.
You do not need to do anything. The existing law will still apply until 1st October 2013.
If you or your employees have attended a HSE approved first aid course (FAW, FAWR or EFAW) and have the relevant certification, this will still be valid until the date shown on your certificate.
After this date, Safety First Aid Training will still be delivering training courses in-line with one of the HSE official route, so you and your employees will receive the best quality training and will be meeting your legal obligations. Details of these will be communicated to you in due course. Booking a first aid training course with Safety First Aid Training after 1st October 2013 will eradicate the need for you to complete comprehensive due diligence on us before booking the course. We will be able to demonstrate exactly how we meet these legal obligations and in turn how you, as a business, will be complying with HSE requirements.
If you have completed any training course with us and would like to find out when the certificate issued is due to expire, simply call our Sales Experts.
Keep up to date with the changes
Safety First Aid Training is here to guide you through this regulation change and help you understand what you should be doing to guarantee compliance. We will bring you up-to-date advice and expertise as and when further details are announced from the HSE, to ensure you are aware of developments before and after the new regulations take effect. Taking the worry out of getting first aiders’ trained to the correct standards is our number 1 priority.