Health and Safety Authority (HSA) extends its timeline for the recognition of Occupational First Aid training

Here is the 7th Statement of the Health and Safety Authority (HSA) in relation to transition to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) First Aid Response (FAR) Education and Training Standard. 

In the previous statement of 31st August 2017, the HSA announced its intention that as and from 1st January 2018, it would only recognise the PHECC FAR standard as meeting the needs of occupational first aid (OFA) in workplaces. The HSA has determined in consultation with Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) and PHECC that dual recognition of QQI 5N1207 and PHECC FAR will continue until 31st May 2018. Thereafter the HSA will only recognise PHECC FAR.
  
This recent decision takes into account PHECC’s current review of the FAR Education and Training Standard (2014). The review is addressing our mutual stakeholders concerns including:

• the instructor to student ratio


• the duration of the course


• the duration of the refresher training.

Recommendations for dealing with these concerns and other areas focusing on FAR content and delivery will be forthcoming with the review conducted by PHECC Education and Standards Committee.

To date there are 35 PHECC Recognised Institutions approved for FAR provider courses and 14 RIs approved for the delivery of FAR instructor courses. While there has been a temporary suspension of accepting applications for recognition of institution status and course approvals (effective 21 November 2017), there are some applications in the final assessment stages which may increase the FAR figures.  The current development for our on-line electronic portal for RI, course applications and RI renewals will support the transition work for the OFA to FAR project.