First aid training requirements for UK workplaces

What does the law require?

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities, and personnel. The key word is adequate – what is adequate depends on the circumstances of your workplace.

There is no fixed formula. A small office with low risk activities has different needs than a construction site or manufacturing facility. The law requires you to assess what is needed based on your specific situation.

What the regulations do require clearly is that employers must make an assessment of first aid needs and provide what that assessment identifies as necessary. Guessing is not compliance.

Assessing your first aid needs

Your assessment should consider:

Workplace hazards

Higher risk workplaces need more first aid provision. Consider:

• Machinery and equipment that could cause injury
• Hazardous substances
• Working at height
• Hot or cold environments
• Risk of violence

Workforce size

More people means more potential for incidents and greater need for trained first aiders.

Workforce distribution

Remote workers, multiple sites, or shift patterns affect how first aid is provided. Someone must be available whenever people are working.

History of accidents

Past incidents indicate likely future needs. Review your accident records for patterns.

Access to emergency services

Remote locations where ambulances take longer to arrive may need more extensive on-site first aid capability.

Specific risks

Some industries have specific requirements – work with certain chemicals may require specific first aid measures.

Related reading: Health and safety policy template: what to include

First aid training options

Appointed persons

The minimum provision is an appointed person – someone designated to take charge of first aid arrangements and call emergency services. They are not trained first aiders but ensure there is always someone responsible.

Appointed person training is typically a half day, covering:

• Responsibilities of the appointed person
• How to contact emergency services
• Basic life support awareness
• First aid kit contents

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

A one day course covering essential first aid skills:

• Assessing an incident
• Managing an unresponsive casualty
• CPR
• Choking
• Wounds and bleeding
• Shock

EFAW is suitable for lower risk workplaces or as additional provision alongside fully trained first aiders.

First Aid at Work (FAW)

A three day course providing comprehensive first aid training:

• Everything in EFAW, plus:
• Injuries to bones, muscles and joints
• Burns and scalds
• Eye injuries
• Poisons
• Low blood sugar
• Anaphylaxis
• Stroke and heart attacks

FAW is appropriate for higher risk workplaces or where the assessment identifies the need for more comprehensive capability.

Specialist training

Some workplaces need additional training beyond standard courses:

• Paediatric first aid (childcare settings)
• Mental health first aid
• Outdoor first aid (remote locations)
• Specific hazard training (chemicals, electricity)

See how it works: MyTrainingTracker tracks first aid certifications and alerts you before they expire.

How many first aiders do you need?

HSE guidance suggests minimum provision based on workplace risk and size:

Low risk workplaces (offices, shops, libraries)

Higher risk workplaces (manufacturing, construction, chemicals)

These are minimums. Your assessment may identify the need for more.

Certificate validity and requalification

First aid certificates are valid for three years. Before expiry, first aiders must complete requalification training:

• EFAW requalification: one day
• FAW requalification: two days

If the certificate expires before requalification, the person must complete the full course again. Track expiry dates carefully to avoid this.

Annual refresher training (not mandatory but recommended) keeps skills current between requalification.

MyTrainingTracker sends automatic reminders before certificates expire.

First aid equipment

Beyond trained people, you need appropriate equipment:

First aid kits

There is no mandatory list of contents, but typical workplace kits include:

• Guidance leaflet
• Individually wrapped sterile plasters
• Eye pads
• Triangular bandages
• Safety pins
• Sterile wound dressings (various sizes)
• Disposable gloves

Contents should reflect your workplace risks. Higher risk environments may need additional items.

First aid rooms

Larger workplaces or those with significant hazards may need dedicated first aid rooms with a couch, washing facilities, and first aid equipment.

Additional equipment

Depending on your assessment:

• Automated external defibrillators (AEDs)
• Eyewash stations
• Blankets
• Specialist equipment for specific hazards

Common compliance failures

Expired certificates

First aiders whose training has lapsed are not first aiders. Track expiry dates and arrange requalification in time.

Insufficient cover

First aiders on holiday, sick, or in meetings leave gaps. Plan for absences so cover is always available during working hours.

Remote workers forgotten

Home workers and remote staff have first aid needs too. Ensure they have appropriate provision, even if that means personal first aid kits and basic training.

Outdated assessment

First aid needs change as your workplace changes. Review your assessment when circumstances alter: new activities, different premises, more staff.

Equipment not maintained

First aid kits run low or items expire. Assign responsibility for checking and restocking equipment regularly.

FAQs: first aid training requirements

Is first aid training mandatory?

Some level of first aid provision is mandatory – at minimum, an appointed person. Whether that means formal first aid training depends on your needs assessment. Most workplaces need at least one trained first aider.

Can we use online first aid training?

Online learning can support first aid training but cannot replace it entirely. First aid requires practical skills assessment that needs in-person delivery. Blended courses (online theory, in-person practical) are acceptable for some qualifications.

Do first aiders need to be volunteers?

No. Employers can require employees to take on first aid duties as part of their role. However, willing first aiders tend to be more engaged and effective.

Who can deliver first aid training?

Training providers should meet HSE criteria for competence. Many are members of voluntary aid organisations or hold accreditation from awarding bodies. Check the provider's credentials before booking.

Maintaining compliant first aid provision

First aid training requirements are not set and forget. Certificates expire, staff leave, and workplace risks change. Effective first aid management means ongoing attention: tracking certifications, planning requalification, covering absences, and reviewing your assessment as circumstances change.

Organisations that do this well treat first aid as part of broader health and safety management, not a separate administrative task. The same systems that track other mandatory training can track first aid certifications.

Ready to simplify training compliance? Join the Founding Partner waitlist to see how Compliance Cover tracks first aid and other mandatory training across your organisation.