Having staff trained in first aid is a great way to promote health and safety at work, and save a colleague when in need of urgent medical care. The moment you learn how to perform first aid, you gain the ability to help those in serious need. This means that you will learn how to cope in a crisis, as you wait for medical professionals to arrive.

What is the aim of first aid?

First aid can be defined as emergency procedures performed when someone needs help or faces life-threatening situations. The aim of first aid is to keep someone breathing until emergency personnel or medical professionals arrive and take over. Chest compressions are the most common form of first aid, which can be done even by those who are not trained in first aid.

General workplace first aid course

A first aid course for health and safety at work will help to teach your staff how to deal with the following situations and injuries:

  • Head injuries
  • Managing emergency situations
  • Bleeding
  • Resuscitations
  • Joint, muscle, and bone injuries
  • Burns
  • Allergic reaction
  • Shock
  • Choking
  • Eye injuries
  • Fainting

Often, a training course of this nature provides a general learning of skills in low or high-risk workplace environments. It provides staff with the requisite knowledge to act effectively in situations where a colleague requires urgent attention. The aim of first aid courses like this is to complete them within three days. An assessment will take place, which involves continuous observation by a trainer and a written assignment.

Emergency workplace first aid course

The next step up in terms of training involves teaching individuals how to react in emergency situations. They will learn how to deal with the following situations and how to provide lifesaving treatment:

  • How to manage emergency situations
  • Giving CPR to adults
  • Seizures
  • Shock
  • Bleeding
  • Casualty care
  • Burns
  • Choking

This type of first aid training is ideal for those who have been nominated to be the first aider in a working environment. Courses of this nature generally take just one day to complete and assessments are obtained through continued observation and written assessments. 

Trainees need basic knowledge of the English language, and successful candidates should be certified by a well-known institution like St. John Ambulance. Often, the certificate is valid for three years.

About first aid courses

Most people who want to learn first aid fall into one of two groups, those who want to improve their health and safety training at work, and people who want to learn first aid skills for everyday life. First aid training courses are generally divided into two similar groups: public (general first aid) and workplace first aid (professional and geared towards a specific environment).

Public – general first aid

This kind of first aid course involves daily life situations. Under this type of training, you’ll learn how to deal with situations such as choking, cuts, and burns. Parents can also learn how to perform first aid on their children.

It’s important to note that first aid courses for babies are different from that of an adult, because of the way you’re able to handle an adult compared to a small child.

Professional – workplace first aid courses

Our workplace first aid training courses are geared towards a specific work environment. Some working environments are much higher risk compared to others and, according to rules and regulations, businesses must meet health and safety regulations. 

For this reason, our workplace first aid course – which promotes exceptional health and safety at work – can be divided into two categories, which are:

  • Low-risk workplace training courses
  • High-risk workplace training courses

Both first aid courses that we provide apply to various work settings. For example, a first aid course for a restaurant would involve how to deal with choking, cuts, burns and fire situations. For a professional baby care service, like a nursery, we would teach your staff paediatric first aid.

Improve your health and safety at work

The aim of first aid training is to ensure that you, and your staff, are prepared to react effectively in emergency situations. If you’re looking to improve your health and safety knowledge, NW Fire Solutions provides exceptional fire safety awareness training to promote fire safety at work.

Our fire safety courses are the perfect partner for improving your workplace safety provisions. Contact us today for expert advice.