Face-to-Face Training Guidelines:

This update outlines our strategy and interventions to reduce the risk of communicating COVID-19 while delivering Face-to-Face training.

What is the current situation for first aid provision?

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has stated that employers should review their first aid needs assessment and maintain adequate first aid provision for those continuing to operate in the workplace.  To support employers with maintaining adequate first aid provision during COVID-19, we have provided some guidance in our previous articles which we hope you have found useful.

For workplaces that are unable to maintain adequate first aid provision, face-to-face classroom training may be required.  This could include those who work in hospitals, care homes, energy sector, construction, manufacturing and other front line services.  Other essential training may also be required for key workers to comply with health and safety regulations and safeguarding requirements.

Below are our proposed steps to to help reduce the spread of the COVID-19 when providing face-to-face training.

Pre-Course

  1. Learners must be seated approx. 2 metres apart.  This, in addition to the required floor space for practical activities, will determine the maximum class size, therefore, the venue must be assessed and the maximum class size determined prior to organising the course. 

  2. Candidates must be free from any symptoms.

  3. Candidates must not be co-habiting with someone who is self-isolating due to suspected COVID-19.

  4. Candidates will not be screened before entry but should only attend if they feel fit and healthy.   Instead, every candidate, and the instructor, will be assumed to be carrying COVID-19 regardless of being asymptomatic.   We feel this is most effective way in reducing complacency to ensure the following measures are adhered to.

Course Instructions

  1. Candidates will be provided with an alcohol wipes, hand sanitiser and tissues and encouraged to regularly clean equipment they have handled and sanitise or wash their hands.  This will be monitored.

  2. Candidates should not touch their mouth, nose or eyes unless they have just washed or sanitised their hands.

  3. Long hair must be held back away from the face.

  4. Candidates should maintain physical distancing throughout the theory elements of the course.

  5. During practical elements (e.g.  Safe Airway Position, Secondary Survey and assessments), candidates will be provided with gloves and masks which will be disposed of and full-face visors or goggles which will be sanitised after each use.

  6. During CPR demonstration, practice and assessment:

    • Where possible, candidates will be assigned a numbered resuscitation mannequin for the duration of the course to reduce the risk of cross contamination.

    • Mannequin faces will be sanitised each time by the user.  New lungs will be replaced each day for multi-day courses. 

    • Rescue Breaths remain an assessed criteria for all courses.

    • Protocols will include the new guidance to cover the casualties mouth to prevent aerosol vapors being spread.

  7. For advanced interventions on the First Responder course, candidates will be issued with individual items (e.g. BVM, manual suction) so that items are not being shared among candidates.

Post-Course

For Open courses, if any candidates displays symptoms of COVID-19 within 14 days of the last day of the course, they should notify us so that we can contact the remaining candidates on the course as well as any candidates from subsequent courses who have received training from the same instructor.

We are awaiting further guidance from the HSE First Aid Quality Partnership in the coming weeks but would appreciate you thoughts so far.   If you have any questions or suggestions, please do not hesitate to get in touch.