Edition 50, October 2007

National standards for first aid qualifications

WorkCover NSW and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland have recently aligned first aid regulatory requirements to national competency standards for first aid training.

In 2005-06 the Community Services and Health Industry Skills Council Ltd conducted a project to rationalise first aid units of competency across all training packages. The review included over 70 qualifications and 700 units of competency. Broad support was gained for a single set of cross industry first aid units of competency across Australia, which have been integrated into Health Training Package HLT06.

The national competency standards for first aid are designed to:

  • increase consistency across the vocational education and training system
  • simplify registration processes for registered training organisations and state training authorities, including removing the need for industry to separately invest in the development of accredited courses, and
  • establish an environment more conducive to complimentary application of vocational education and training and workers compensation regulatory systems

The national standards comprise six units of competency:

First aid course

  • equivalent unit of competency
  • HLTFA301B Apply First Aid

Occupational first aid course

  • equivalent unit of competency
  • HLTFA301B Apply First Aid
  • HLTFA402B Apply Advanced First Aid
  • HLTFA403A Manage First Aid in the Workplace

For more information on WorkCover NSW's requirements, visit www.workcover.nsw.gov.au (Select 'Training' > 'First Aid Training')

In Queensland, the First Aid Code of Practice 2004 addresses requirements for first aid qualifications. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland have recently advised the above units of competency meet the requirements of the code.

For more information visit www.deir.qld.gov.au (Select 'Workplace health and safety' > 'Law and penalties' > 'Codes of Practice' > 'First Aid Code of Practice 2004')

This page was generated on 18 February, 2010