Is there such a thing as an HSE approved first aid course?

HSE stopped approving first aid training providers in 2013, when regulation 3(2) of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 was amended.

No course held today carries HSE approval from any provider.

What an inspector looks for instead is that you chose a competent provider and that the training matches the risk level identified in your first aid needs assessment.

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What changed in 2013?

Before the amendment, HSE ran an approval scheme and providers applied to be listed.

The scheme was removed to give employers more choice and to place responsibility for selecting a provider on the employer.

Since then, HSE has published guidance on how to make that choice rather than a list of approved names. The current version is GEIS3 (HSE).
 

Why do providers still advertise HSE approved first aid courses?

Because employers still search for the phrase. It is a description of what a buyer wants rather than a status that exists.

Any provider still claiming HSE approval is either using outdated copy or trading on the confusion.

The same applies to HSE accredited, HSE certified and HSE recognised. None of them describes a real status.
 

So how do you know a first aid course is acceptable?

Four things, in this order.
 

• The provider's competence. Trainers who are qualified to teach and assess, with quality assurance behind them.
• The syllabus. Content matching the qualification and the risk level of your workplace.
• The clinical content. Protocols following current Resuscitation Council UK guidance.
• The certificate. A named accreditation you can verify, with a stated validity period.

Safe Haven Training courses are accredited by the First Aid Industry Body as standard. Where a regulated qualification is required, for tenders, inspections or funding conditions, the Ofqual route through Qualsafe Awards is available on request.

 

What does HSE guidance say about choosing a provider?

GEIS3 sets out what to look for and puts the decision with the employer.

It covers trainer competence, quality assurance, syllabus content and the provider's ability to show how it monitors its own training. It does not name providers, rank them, or issue a mark of approval.

An inspector asking about your training will ask how you chose, not which list you picked from.
 

Does the course have to be regulated to be acceptable?

No. A regulated qualification sits on the Ofqual register and carries an award title such as Level 3. It is not a legal requirement for workplace first aid, and a non-regulated accredited course meets the same duty.

Regulated versions matter in specific circumstances. Some tender documents, funding conditions and public sector contracts specify one, so ask before you book if that applies to you.
 

Which course does your workplace need?

Risk level decides it. Emergency First Aid at Work is a one day course suited to low risk workplaces such as offices, shops and salons.

First Aid at Work runs over three consecutive days and suits high risk workplaces such as construction, manufacturing, warehousing and engineering.

Both certificates last three years. Neither is approved by HSE, and neither needs to be.
 

What should you keep on file?

The needs assessment that justified the course level, the certificates of everyone trained, and the expiry dates.

That set answers the question an inspector actually asks. Keep the provider's accreditation details too. It takes one line and saves rebuilding the reasoning two years later.

 

Frequently asked questions

1. Will an inspector reject a course that is not HSE approved?

No inspector can, because no course carries that status. What can be challenged is training that does not match the risk level of the work, or certificates that have expired.
 

2. Is first aid training a legal requirement?

Yes. Every employer must provide adequate and appropriate first aid provision, with no minimum staff threshold (HSE).
 

3. What does FAIB accreditation mean in practice?

It means an external body has assessed the provider against a published standard and continues to monitor it. The certificate names the accreditation, and the validity period is three years.
 

4. Do I need a regulated qualification for a tender?

Sometimes. Public sector and larger commercial tenders occasionally specify a regulated qualification by name. Check the tender wording before booking rather than after.
 

5. Is an online first aid certificate acceptable at work?

Not on its own for workplace first aid. The practical skills have to be assessed in person, so a wholly online certificate does not give you a qualified first aider.
 

6. How quickly can we get a team trained?

Dates run across the country and multiple dates run at most venues, so short notice bookings are usually workable.

 

References

1. Legislation.gov.uk: Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981

2. Health and Safety Executive: Selecting a first aid training provider: A guide for employers

3. Health and Safety Executive: First aid at work

4. Resuscitation Council UK: Adult basic life support guidelines