CPR and First Aid Training Requirements for Australian Businesses

CPR and First Aid Training Requirements for Australian Businesses

Having a well stocked first aid kit is only part of providing adequate first aid arrangements at an Australian workplace. You also need to consider who is trained to respond when someone is injured or becomes seriously ill, and whether that person is actually available when they are needed. The training system can also be confusing, particularly the difference between the full HLTAID011 first aid course and the annual CPR refresher. Here's how the system works and how to work out the right level of first aid training for your business.

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Do You Need Trained First Aiders?

In most Australian workplaces, yes. Under the model Work Health and Safety framework, a Person Conducting a Business or Undertaking (PCBU) must provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel based on the circumstances of the workplace.

This means having a first aid kit available is only one part of the equation. You also need to consider whether there are workers with appropriate first aid training available to respond to an incident, taking into account the size of your workforce, the nature of the work, the location of the workplace, the number of shifts and how quickly emergency medical services can be reached.

For a construction or trade business, this is particularly important because injuries can be more serious and crews are often spread across vehicles, sites and different work areas.

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How Many First Aiders Does Your Business Need?

Safe Work Australia's First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice provides guidance for determining the number of trained first aiders appropriate for a workplace. The figures below are useful starting points, but they should not be treated as a universal legal formula that applies identically to every business.

• Low risk workplaces: at least one first aider for every 50 workers is the general guide
• High risk workplaces: at least one first aider for every 25 workers is the general guide
• Remote or isolated high risk workplaces: at least one first aider for every 10 workers may be appropriate where emergency medical assistance is not readily accessible

The actual number you need can be higher depending on your circumstances. For example, a business operating across multiple shifts cannot rely on one first aider who only works during the day. Similarly, a construction company with several separate sites may need first aiders available at each location rather than simply calculating one ratio across the entire workforce.

Our guide on how many first aiders you need on a construction site covers the site specific considerations in more detail, while our guide on how many first aid kits your business needs covers the separate question of equipment across multiple sites and vehicles.

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HLTAID011 Provide First Aid

HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is the nationally recognised training course commonly used to train workplace first aiders. It covers a broad range of first aid skills, including CPR, wound management, burns, fractures, bleeding, shock and other medical emergencies.

For most Australian workplaces, this is the qualification you would look for when selecting workers to take on the role of a workplace first aider.

The Safe Work Australia Code of Practice recommends that first aiders complete refresher training at least every three years. Businesses should also keep track of training dates so they know when workers need to renew their first aid training.

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HLTAID009 Provide CPR

HLTAID009 Provide CPR is a shorter course focused specifically on cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the use of an automated external defibrillator (AED).

CPR skills are considered particularly important to refresh regularly because they are practical skills that can deteriorate without practice. Safe Work Australia's first aid guidance recommends CPR training be refreshed annually.

This means a worker who has completed HLTAID011 should generally keep their CPR skills current with an annual CPR refresher rather than waiting three years to revisit CPR.

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Do You Need to Renew First Aid Every Year?

No. The full first aid course and CPR refresher operate on different recommended timeframes.

A typical workplace first aid training cycle looks something like this:

• HLTAID011 Provide First Aid: refresh at least every three years
• HLTAID009 Provide CPR: refresh annually

For example, a worker might complete HLTAID011 in 2026, complete an annual CPR refresher in 2027, complete another CPR refresher in 2028, and then undertake their next full first aid refresher around 2029.

Always check the current requirements of your state or territory regulator and the training organisation you use, particularly where your industry or workplace has additional requirements.

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Why CPR Training Matters on a Worksite

CPR is one of the most time critical first aid skills a worker can have. When someone suffers a cardiac arrest, every minute without effective CPR and defibrillation can significantly reduce their chance of survival.

For businesses operating in remote locations, on large construction sites or in workplaces where emergency services may take longer to arrive, having workers who are confident with CPR and know where the nearest AED is can be particularly important.

A first aid kit cannot perform CPR, call an ambulance or operate an AED. The people on site are the critical part of the response.

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Sole Traders and Small Crews

Small businesses and sole traders still need to consider first aid arrangements appropriate to the work they undertake. The fact that you only have one or two workers does not automatically remove your responsibility to manage foreseeable first aid risks.

This becomes particularly important for people working alone or in remote locations. If something goes wrong, there may be nobody nearby to provide CPR, call for help or retrieve first aid equipment.

Our guide on whether sole traders need a first aid kit looks at this issue in more detail.

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What About Contractors and Subcontractors?

Construction sites often have workers from several different businesses working alongside each other. In these situations, first aid arrangements should take into account the entire workplace, not just the employees of one company.

Principal contractors, subcontractors and other PCBUs may have overlapping duties depending on how the site is structured and who controls the workplace. Businesses should make sure there is a clear understanding of who provides first aid equipment, trained first aiders and emergency procedures rather than assuming another contractor has it covered.

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Keep Your Training Records Up to Date

It is worth keeping a simple record of who holds first aid and CPR qualifications, when they completed their training and when their next refresher is due.

This becomes particularly important when someone leaves the business, moves to another crew, changes shifts or is no longer regularly present on site. A certificate sitting in a personnel file does not help if the only trained first aider is away when an incident occurs.

Review your first aid arrangements whenever your workforce grows, you add another shift, open a new site, start higher risk work or change the way your crews operate.

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First Aid Training and Your First Aid Kit Work Together

A trained first aider and a properly stocked first aid kit are complementary parts of your workplace first aid arrangements. The kit provides the equipment, while the trained worker knows how to assess the situation and use it appropriately.

For trade and construction businesses, that means your first aid planning should consider both sides: who is trained to respond and whether the right equipment is actually within reach when they need it.

Our first aid kit contents checklist covers what should be in a workplace kit, while our guide on how many kits your business needs looks at equipment requirements across multiple vehicles and sites.

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The Practical Takeaway

A first aid kit is only useful if someone on site knows how to use it. Australian workplaces need first aid arrangements appropriate to their workforce, hazards, location and access to emergency services, and Safe Work Australia's guidance provides useful ratios for determining how many trained first aiders may be appropriate.

For most workplace first aiders, HLTAID011 Provide First Aid is the key qualification to look for, with CPR training refreshed annually and first aid training refreshed at least every three years. Review your arrangements whenever your business grows, adds a site or changes the nature of its work.

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This article provides general workplace safety information and is not a substitute for advice from your state or territory WHS regulator or a qualified training provider. Workplace first aid requirements can vary depending on the circumstances of the business and the jurisdiction in which you operate.

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Tax Deductible

First aid kits and workplace first aid or CPR training are generally tax deductible business expenses when purchased for legitimate business purposes. Keep your receipts and speak with your accountant or tax adviser if you are unsure how an expense should be treated for your business.

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