Considering completing an online first aid course?
We often get asked, does an online first aid course count? Legally and morally are first aiders ‘qualified’ if they do a fully online first aid course?
If you read no further than just this paragraph, the answer is no. If your workplace requires any of the below qualifications then NO, online training only does not count. It is very important to note that fully online first aid courses do not make the learner a qualified first aider.
- First Aid at Work
- Emergency First Aid at Work
- Paediatric First Aid
Your mind is probably curious now? Your curious how these reputable looking online providers are able to provide 100%, sometimes FREE online first aid training? Perhaps a friend in another company, or a colleague has told you that they always use online first aid training? She says: ‘It’s easy, a bargain at £25 with same day certification, etc. etc’. Be aware, if this is the case, in all instances linked to the courses mentioned above, they will not be providing an adequate first aid provision. And worse, they may be in trouble when an accident occurs. Continue reading to find out more.
Which First Aid Course Do I Need?
So, lets move on from talking about these online providers. In this section, we will look at which first aid training course your workplace requires. Before you can decide this, and to actually see if an online course would suffice, you need to conduct what we call a First Aid Needs Assessment. This assessment looks at your business in terms of hazards and risks to help you determine the level of training you need. And also, how many people need to be trained. The assessment covers the below topics:
- whether a designated first aider is required.
- potential hazards in the workplace.
- the size of the company; people and area
- previous accidents and illnesses;
- shift patterns and hours of working.
- location of employees during working hours (on or off-site, multiple site, etc).
- the distance to emergency services.
- potential visitors to the workplace.
To help you conduct a First Aid Needs Assessment, you can click on the following Qualsafe Awards tool FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS CALCULATOR
First Aid Provision – Employers’ legal obligations
First aid requirements in every workplace is dependent on their first aid risk assessment. The minimum first aid requirements for low risk workplaces with small numbers of staff are the following:
- a first aid box (including the appropriate equipment) please click on the following if you need to purchase any first aid kits
- an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements;
- first aid information for all employees about the arrangements.
Every employer in the UK, regardless of the size of the company, is legally obliged to plan for the provision of first aid if their employees are injured or taken ill at work.
Employers must make sure that someone is always available to give or arrange first aid. This applies if the designated first aider is absent for any reason. It isn’t a legal requirement that employers have a fully trained first aider in every type of workplace, but someone must be appointed to take charge of first aid in all instances.
First aiders must have a valid first aid training certificate. Please refer to the HSE minimum face to face recommendations below, and note, exclusively online courses do not provide this element.
Selecting a First Aid Training Provider
We are proud to tick all the HSE boxes in their guidance on selecting a first aid training provider. If you would like to see their advice, click here – Selecting a first-aid training provider: A guide for employers (hse.gov.uk). As an external training provider for your company, we fit into the HSE option of offering regulated qualifications. This means you can rest assured that we have the appropriate quality assurance procedures in place and that our courses are of the highest standard.
We are happy to discuss our credentials with you if you need to document your due diligence made when selecting us as your provider.
First Aid Training Options
At this point you may have completed or know about First Aid Needs Assessments (if not, please click on FIRST AID REQUIREMENTS CALCULATOR), and also considered some due diligence on selecting a provider. The majority of employers at this stage will have ascertained they need one, sometimes more of the below three courses:
It’s very important to note at this stage, that your online courses do not have the exact same names as the above. The names above are approved courses, and a company cannot teach the syllabus of these topics with 100% online methods. This is actually quite shocking, and you have or may have been baffled by their marketing! On my recent google search we have found the below:
- Workplace First Aid Training. Page 1 Google
- Basic Online First Aid Training. Another page 1 Google
- First Aid. Offering refresher training only. You guessed it, page 1.
- Emergency First Aid. Offering refresher training only. I don’t need to say it again?
If your first aid needs assessment has highlighted that you need any of the courses in the top section, you are not covered by completing any of the courses in the bottom section.
Consider this, would you be happy if driving licenses were granted by just passing the theory test?
Minimum Face-to-Face Training Required
Does an online First Aid course count? The HSE also strongly recommends that the practical elements of the first aid courses should be assessed by direct observation. Details below:
| Course | Total course minimum hours duration | Minimum face-to-face learning hours |
| Emergency First Aid at Work | 6 | 4 |
| First Aid at Work | 18 | 12 |
| First Aid at Work Requalification | 12 | 6 |
| Emergency Paediatric First Aid | 6 | 6 |
| Paediatric First Aid | 12 | 6 |
Online First Aid Training Courses
Basically, and sorry for re-iterating again, online first aid certification isn’t possible for First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work or Paediatric and Emergency Paediatric First Aid if the content is delivered exclusively online. These courses do not meet the requirements set out in HSE guidance. Blended learning, where there is a combination of online and face-to-face training is completely acceptable with the exception of Emergency Paediatric courses.
First Aid Courses that do count!
For more information on our Qualification Wales and Ofqual approved, face to face courses click here – First Aid Courses – The Hive Collaborative.
Does an online First Aid course count?
Exclusively online first aid courses are definitely on the increase. It’s clear to see why, as we all naturally want the most cost effective and easiest method of obtaining our needs. These courses can be useful for obtaining very basic first aid skills, e.g. for use in your home. They will show you how to apply a bandage, but don’t give you the chance to have a go yourself. Online courses can also be useful for refresher training, to those who already have an approved first aid qualification. That said, we still recommend face to face training for your annual refresher first aid training.
Thanks for reading our blog post. We hope it has been useful. Please check out our other blogs for more free first aid advice.
Written by Paul Deaves, Managing Director | The Hive Collaborative | hello@hivecollaborative.co.uk
06.08.22.