FAQs

You can book online and see the next available dates, or call our team on 0117 958 2070. If you’re not sure which course you need, get in touch and we’ll help you choose between an open course at our Bristol training centre and in-house training at your premises.

Yes. Depending on the course, you’ll receive either an external awarding body certificate or an Acorn Health & Safety certificate. Acorn certificates can be downloaded from the Acorn Portal; Qualsafe and IOSH courses are certified by a separate awarding body, so those certificates aren’t available on the Portal. See our Acorn Portal FAQs for details.

For most courses the maximum is 12 delegates per trainer. If you need more people trained at the same time and your venue can hold larger numbers, we can send multiple trainers to run the theory session as one group, then split into smaller groups for the practical sessions.

Many of our food, fire and health & safety courses can accommodate larger numbers where the venue is suitable.

Yes. We deliver in-house training at your premises or another suitable venue, as well as at our training centre in Warmley, Bristol. The venue needs space for delegates to sit for theory, plus room for any practical sessions – ideally more than 4.5m x 6m (15ft x 20ft).

We’ll need access at least 30 minutes before training starts to set up, a contact name and phone number for the day, and advance notice of parking and any equipment available (laptop, TV, flip chart or projector). A travel charge applies for venues more than 25 miles from Warmley – please ask us for details.

We can run two half-day sessions at your venue on the same day – either the same course twice to certify larger numbers of staff, or two different courses (for example Fire Safety and Manual Handling) at a reduced day rate.

Training frequency should be set by your own policy, based on your risk assessment and the type and complexity of the work involved. Many certificates also have a set validity period – we’ll send you an automatic reminder before your course expires.

Our Food Safety Awareness course covers the importance of keeping staff and work areas clean and hygienic. The Qualsafe Level 2 award covers personal responsibility for food safety and keeping food safe, and is suitable for anyone working where food is stored, cooked and handled.

Yes. If you need to cancel for any reason, please let us know as soon as possible. The following charges apply, as set out in our Terms and Conditions:

• More than 27 days’ notice – no charge
• 14–27 days’ notice – 50% of the course fee
• Less than 14 days’ notice – 100% of the course fee

We’d recommend basing your training on the number of staff in your organisation, the nature of your business and your own company policy. Browse our first aid courses or call us and we’ll help you choose.

Everybody can benefit. Accidents and emergencies can happen anywhere, at any time, and first aid knowledge is a valuable life skill.

Nurseries and pre-schools need at least one person on the premises with a Level 3 Paediatric First Aid qualification, and may also need a First Aid at Work qualification if there are more than 25 staff.

Primary schools need a qualified first aider holding a Paediatric First Aid qualification, and may also need a First Aid at Work qualification if there are more than 25 staff.

Secondary schools, depending on staff numbers (between 25 and 50), may need a qualified first aider holding an Emergency First Aid at Work qualification.

Remember to have a back-up first aider for sickness or holidays, as well as someone able to administer medicines or with specific training as needed (such as epilepsy or manual handling).

It’s best practice to have enough first aiders to cover your business when your usual first aider is off sick, on a different shift or on holiday.

Paediatric First Aid covers infants (up to 1 year old) and children up to puberty.

Yes – most first aid treatments are the same. Child and infant-specific CPR is also referred to on the course.

When an Emergency First Aid at Work certificate expires, you renew it by completing the same 1-day course.

When a 3-day First Aid at Work certificate expires, you can complete the 2-day First Aid at Work requalification instead, provided you complete it no later than 28 days after your certificate expired.

A refresher keeps your skills fresh and practised. A requalification renews your qualification when it’s due to expire.

No. The course covers asthma, anaphylaxis and diabetes, but it doesn’t qualify you to administer medicines – that needs separate medication training.

This depends on your local council and school policy. We recommend completing this course annually.

That’s a common concern. Our training is designed to give you simple, practical skills so you can confidently act as the first point of contact in an emergency.

No, there’s no legal obligation to provide first aid outside of work.

Some skills need a certain level of physical ability and maturity, but the general skills and practice can be learned by most age groups.

Training frequency depends on your policy, which should be based on your risk assessment, the type and complexity of client needs, and the handling required.

Load handling covers how to lift and move objects correctly. Client (people) handling covers safely moving and assisting people.

We recommend new staff complete an initial foundation-level manual handling course covering all the basics needed in a care environment. For experienced staff, a 3-hour update covering core skills is usually suitable.

For staff handling inanimate loads, we recommend a load handling course covering legislation, risk assessment and the principles of safe handling.

Yes – we recommend completing a reputable moving and handling train-the-trainer course first.

Sizing guidance varies between manufacturers, so always check the size guide on the manufacturer’s website.

Under the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER), equipment used for lifting people, and its accessories, must be thoroughly examined at least every six months by a competent person.

Yes. Our registered nurses can help with policies and procedures, as well as practical support with complex manual handling needs.

No – you can provide an alternative such as the pocket card or leaflet instead, available from the HSE website.

It’s not required, but it can give your employees useful information, such as the names of people with health and safety responsibilities.

If you employ five or more people, your health and safety policy must be in writing.

Review them regularly, and update them after any changes in your business, or following any incidents or accidents. Our Risk Assessment training can help you keep them valid.

Not necessarily in book form – but you must keep accident records confidentially. This could be electronic, a form or a similar system depending on the needs of your business.

No. Under RIDDOR, certain incidents must be reported, including deaths, specified injuries, over-seven-day injuries and some injuries to members of the public. See the HSE’s RIDDOR guidance.

PAT isn’t a legal requirement in itself, but the law does require all electrical equipment provided in your business to be safe and properly maintained. PAT testing is one way of showing equipment is electrically safe.

COSHH stands for the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health – legislation covering chemical safety in the workplace. Our COSHH course suits any member of staff who needs a basic understanding of hazardous substances at work.

No – it’s the employer’s (or self-employed person’s) responsibility to provide the appropriate PPE needed to do the job safely.

Yes, if you’re responsible for commercial premises. All workplaces, commercial properties and buildings the public can access need a fire risk assessment, including the common areas of some residential buildings. Find out about our fire risk assessments.

Usually the owner, employer or occupier of the premises is responsible for fire safety.

It depends on the size of the property and whether you need a full fire risk assessment or just the communal areas. Contact us for a quote.

We’ll send you a fire risk assessment declaration beforehand, covering details such as smoke detectors, the number and location of fire extinguishers, and contact details for your maintenance companies.

Review it regularly, and whenever there are changes to work activities, tenants, layout, occupancy or the way the premises are used.

No, but you do need a competent person. Our Fire Marshal training, including use of live fire, makes sure your staff are competent.

Not necessarily – it depends on the size of your premises, how it’s used and the nature of your business. Your fire risk assessment will help determine this.

Yes. In England, the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (Amendment) Regulations 2022 require private and social landlords to:

• Fit at least one smoke alarm on every storey of the home that has a room used wholly or partly as living accommodation
• Fit a carbon monoxide alarm in any room used as living accommodation that contains a fixed combustion appliance (such as a gas boiler, gas fire or wood burner) – gas cookers are excluded
• Check the alarms are working at the start of each new tenancy
• Repair or replace any faulty alarm as soon as reasonably practicable once a tenant reports it

Rules differ in Wales and Scotland, where requirements include interlinked alarms. See the GOV.UK guidance for landlords for full details.

The maximum is 15 people, both at our training centre and on site. For on-site courses this also depends on the space available for delegates and the live fire element.

This depends on your own fire policy and the safety arrangements in place for your premises.

Only if it’s safe to do so and you’re competent. Our Fire Awareness with fire extinguisher training will give your staff that competence.

Hassle Free is our retained consultancy service. It gives you access to competent health and safety advice, as required under Regulation 7 of the Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations, plus discounted training, a comprehensive suite of forms and templates, and the creation or review of your health and safety policy statement, responsibilities and arrangements.

Yes. Full support with one scheme is included in Hassle Free, or we offer a reduced Hassle Free service for SSIP schemes. We’ll help you gain and maintain approval with schemes such as CHAS, SMAS, EXOR, Constructionline, FASET, SafeContractor and Acclaim, and act as your competent safety advisor. Find out more about SSIP.

Yes. We have forms covering everything from beekeeping to sterile hospital environments. We’ll take time to understand your requirements and create paperwork that supports your best practice.

We have a full suite of forms to support your documentation, and can create bespoke forms for your specific needs, helping you build a structured health and safety management system.