Imagine this: a colleague collapses, or a visitor suffers a severe bleed. In those first few minutes, what happens next can make all the difference. First aid training isn’t about memorising rules—it’s about giving real people the confidence to act, calmly and correctly, when it matters most.
At BSM Training and Consultancy, we keep things practical and relevant. Our instructors bring experience from emergency services and healthcare, so the skills your team learns aren’t just theory— they’re the same skills used in real incidents. We deliver training at your venue or ours, and tailor content to your risks, shift patterns, and people.
UK employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities, and people so anyone who’s injured or taken ill at work can get immediate help. What counts as ‘adequate and appropriate’ depends on your risks and activities, which is why a first-aid needs assessment is essential. The HSE’s guidance L74 explains what to consider—kits, rooms (where needed), training requirements, appointed persons, and how you communicate arrangements. The latest updates emphasise taking account of employees’ mental health, clarify language on life-threatening bleeding, and simplify how to select training providers.
It’s not just guidance. HSE will enforce the law where risks are significant or standards are persistently ignored. In short: getting first aid right prevents harm—and demonstrates you’re meeting your duties.
Begin with a clear-eyed look at your workplace. Identify hazards and risks (machinery, chemicals, lone working, remote sites). Consider workforce size, shift patterns, and where staff and visitors are located. Review incident history and think about your proximity to emergency medical services. Factor in specific needs—vulnerable workers, language considerations, and mental health. There’s no universal ratio of first aiders; your provision must be risk-based and documented.
Use this checklist to structure your assessment:
HSE no longer approves individual first aid training providers. Employers must show due diligence when choosing a provider and qualifications. Use HSE guidance (including GEIS3) to check competence, quality assurance, and course relevance to your risks. Blended learning and AED training can be appropriate— provided practical competencies are properly assessed and the outcomes match your workplace needs.
There isn’t a single course for every workplace. Your needs assessment should point you to the right mix:
We deliver these pathways onsite (your venue) or at our training locations, and—where suitable—via blended learning (a mix of online theory and face-to-face practical assessment).
HSE’s annual statistics underline the ongoing challenge across Great Britain—fatalities still occur, and ill health and non-fatal injuries lead to millions of lost working days. In 2024/25, 124 workers lost their lives in work-related accidents. Competent first aiders, clear arrangements, and swift responses can make the difference between a minor incident and a major one.
If your needs assessment identifies significant risks, you are likely to require trained first aiders. In lower-risk environments, you must still have suitable arrangements—this may be an appointed person, equipment, and information.
No. HSE stopped approving providers in 2013. Employers now have to demonstrate due diligence when selecting a provider—use L74 and GEIS3 to guide your choice.
Yes, where appropriate. L74 confirms employers may consider blended learning and AED training, provided course outcomes meet workplace needs and practical competencies are properly assessed.
HSE will enforce the law, including prosecution where risks are significant or there’s persistent non-compliance. More importantly, inadequate provision can result in preventable harm.
Ready to strengthen your first aid provision? Talk to BSM Training and Consultancy about your needs assessment and the training pathway that fits your risks, operations, and budget.
We are a passionate and driven team of Health and Safety consultants and trainers, whose mission is to provide quality training and health and safety consultancy services at cost-effective prices.
Ensuring you have the appropriate Health and Safety policies and procedures in place can be daunting for any business.
Unless you have a comprehensive understanding of up to date legislation, it’s vital to seek out advice and guidance that will protect you both financially and legally. BSM Training and Consultancy exist precisely for that reason.
We can provide solutions from full management of a business’s health and safety down to helping a business invest in its people to create and grow a good health and safety culture.
We are a passionate and driven team of Health and Safety consultants and trainers, whose mission is to provide quality training and health and safety consultancy services at cost-effective prices.
Ensuring you have the appropriate Health and Safety policies and procedures in place can be daunting for any business.
Unless you have a comprehensive understanding of up to date legislation, it’s vital to seek out advice and guidance that will protect you both financially and legally. BSM Training and Consultancy exist precisely for that reason.
We can provide solutions from full management of a business’s health and safety down to helping a business invest in its people to create and grow a good health and safety culture.
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