Onsite first aid training can be one of the most practical and cost-effective ways for businesses to train their employees. Rather than sending staff to separate training venues, an experienced first aid trainer visits your workplace to deliver the course to your team.

For employers, this can mean reduced travel costs, less disruption to daily operations and a more convenient way to arrange training for several employees at once.

Whether you need Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW), First Aid at Work (FAW) or Paediatric First Aid (PFA), arranging training at your premises can offer significant advantages.

At First Aid and Safety Training, we provide practical, regulated first aid qualifications for businesses across the North East of England, including South Tyneside, Sunderland, Newcastle, Gateshead, Durham and surrounding areas.

In this guide, we explain how onsite first aid training works, when it can save your business money and what you should consider before making a booking.

What Is Onsite First Aid Training?

Onsite first aid training is when a qualified first aid trainer delivers a course at your business premises or another suitable location arranged by your organisation.

Instead of employees travelling individually to an external training centre, the trainer brings the necessary teaching and practical assessment equipment to your workplace.

The course follows the same relevant qualification requirements as training delivered at an external venue.

Depending on your organisation’s requirements, onsite courses can include:

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW).
First Aid at Work (FAW).
First Aid at Work Requalification.
Paediatric First Aid (PFA).
CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training.
First aid refresher training.

Onsite training is particularly useful when several employees require the same qualification or when arranging travel to an external venue would be inconvenient.

Seven Benefits of Onsite First Aid Training for Businesses

1. Save Money on Group First Aid Training

One of the main advantages of onsite first aid training is the potential to reduce the overall cost of training several employees.

When booking individual places on open courses, employers usually pay a separate fee for each employee.

With onsite training, the cost is generally agreed for the group rather than calculated solely on individual attendance.

This can provide better value when several employees require the same qualification.

For example, a business arranging Emergency First Aid at Work training for a group of employees may find that booking a private course is more economical than purchasing individual places.

However, the savings depend on the number of learners, course type and agreed training price.

The key is to compare the total cost of training your team, not simply the price per learner.

2. Reduce Employee Travel Expenses

Sending employees to an external training venue can involve additional expenses.

These may include:

Mileage allowances.
Public transport fares.
Parking charges.
Accommodation for employees travelling longer distances.
Additional travel time.

With onsite training, these expenses can often be reduced or eliminated.

This is particularly beneficial for businesses with employees based at the same premises or working across several nearby locations.

3. Minimise Disruption to Your Business

Every hour employees spend travelling to and from training is time away from their usual responsibilities.

For businesses with busy schedules, this can affect staffing arrangements and productivity.

Onsite first aid training removes the need for employees to travel to an external venue.

Staff can attend training at a familiar location, making the process easier to organise.

It can also simplify arrangements for employers who need to coordinate cover for employees attending the course.

Although employees must still complete the required training hours, removing unnecessary travel can make the overall process more efficient.

4. Train Your Team Together

Booking onsite training allows several employees to learn together.

This can be particularly useful for organisations where staff may need to respond collectively during an emergency.

During practical training, employees develop skills such as:

Recognising an emergency.
Assessing a casualty.
Calling emergency services.
Performing CPR.
Using an AED.
Managing serious bleeding.
Providing appropriate first aid for injuries and medical emergencies.

Learning together can also help employees become familiar with their colleagues’ first aid responsibilities.

For businesses with multiple designated first aiders, this can support a more coordinated approach to emergency response.

5. Discuss First Aid in Your Own Working Environment

Every workplace has different hazards and operational requirements.

A construction site, office, nursery and manufacturing business may face very different first aid challenges.

Onsite training provides opportunities to discuss examples relevant to your workplace.

For instance:

Construction businesses may wish to discuss injuries involving tools, equipment and working environments.
Manufacturing companies may want to consider machinery-related incidents.
Offices may focus on medical emergencies and sudden cardiac arrest.
Nurseries may want to discuss emergencies involving babies and children.
Warehouses may consider incidents involving manual handling and moving equipment.

The course must still meet the relevant qualification syllabus and assessment requirements.

However, appropriate workplace examples can help learners understand how their first aid skills apply to situations they might encounter.

6. Make Training Administration Easier

Arranging individual course places for multiple employees can involve several bookings, different dates and additional administration.

Onsite training allows employers to coordinate a group booking with one training provider.

This can simplify:

Course scheduling.
Employee attendance.
Joining instructions.
Training arrangements.
Qualification records.
Future requalification planning.

For employers responsible for maintaining first aid compliance, keeping training arrangements organised can save valuable administrative time.

7. Support Workplace First Aid Compliance

Employers have a legal duty to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and personnel.

The arrangements required depend on the workplace first aid needs assessment.

Factors to consider include:

The nature of the work.
Workplace hazards and risks.
The number of employees.
Shift patterns.
Working arrangements.
Previous accidents.
The distance from emergency medical services.

Onsite first aid training can help employers ensure that suitable employees receive the qualifications identified by their assessment.

However, booking a course does not automatically make a workplace compliant.

Employers must also ensure that their first aid arrangements, equipment and trained personnel remain appropriate.

For further information, visit the Health and Safety Executive’s First Aid at Work guidance.

How Much Can Onsite First Aid Training Save Your Business?

The financial benefits of onsite first aid training depend on how many employees require training and which qualification they need.

A useful way to compare options is to calculate the total cost of training rather than looking at course fees alone.

Example: Emergency First Aid at Work for 10 Employees

Consider a business with 10 employees who require Emergency First Aid at Work training.

If each employee attends an open course costing £97, the total course fees would be:

10 employees × £97 = £970

This does not include any additional travel expenses or travel time.

If the business books an onsite course for an agreed group price of £800, the comparison would be:

Training arrangement	Course cost
10 individual EFAW places at £97	£970
One onsite EFAW course for 10 learners	£800
Potential saving on course fees	£170

In this example, the business could save £170 on course fees alone.

Additional savings may be possible through reduced travel and administration.

This is an illustrative comparison using the stated course prices. Actual quotations and savings depend on the training requirements and agreed booking arrangements.

What If You Only Have a Few Employees?

Onsite training is not always the cheapest option.

For example, if only two employees require Emergency First Aid at Work training, booking individual places on an open course may be more economical.

This is why we recommend comparing both options.

At First Aid and Safety Training, we offer open courses and onsite training, allowing businesses to choose the arrangement that best suits their requirements.

Which First Aid Courses Can Be Delivered Onsite?

We provide several workplace and specialist first aid qualifications that may be suitable for group training.

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW)

Emergency First Aid at Work is a one-day qualification designed to provide essential emergency first aid skills.

The course includes important topics such as:

Assessing an emergency.
CPR and AED use.
Managing an unresponsive casualty.
Choking.
Bleeding.
Shock.
Minor injuries.

It is suitable for workplaces where the first aid needs assessment identifies EFAW as an appropriate qualification.

Explore our Emergency First Aid at Work course.

First Aid at Work (FAW)

First Aid at Work provides more extensive training than EFAW.

It covers a wider range of workplace injuries and medical emergencies, including serious illness and injury.

The qualification is often appropriate for workplaces with more significant first aid needs.

At FAST, we offer blended FAW training, combining suitable online learning with practical face-to-face sessions.

Explore our First Aid at Work course.

Paediatric First Aid (PFA)

Paediatric First Aid focuses on emergencies involving babies and children.

It is particularly relevant to nurseries, childcare providers and other organisations responsible for children.

The qualification includes practical first aid techniques appropriate for different age groups.

Blended learning options can help reduce the amount of time employees need to attend face-to-face training while still meeting the relevant qualification requirements.

Explore our Paediatric First Aid course.

Combined First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid

Some organisations require employees to hold both workplace and paediatric first aid qualifications.

In these circumstances, combined training may provide a practical way to complete both qualifications without unnecessary duplication.

Find out about our Combined FAW and PFA course.

First Aid Refresher Training

Regular refresher training helps first aiders maintain their practical skills and confidence.

The Health and Safety Executive strongly recommends annual refresher training for workplace first aiders.

A refresher course can provide an opportunity to revisit important emergency skills and practise techniques that may not be used regularly.

What Do You Need to Provide for Onsite First Aid Training?

Arranging onsite first aid training is usually straightforward, but the training environment must be suitable.

Your organisation will generally need to provide:

A Suitable Training Room

The room should have sufficient space for learners to participate comfortably in both theoretical and practical activities.

First aid courses involve practical exercises, including CPR and casualty management, so adequate floor space is important.

Tables and Chairs

Suitable seating and tables should be available for learners during the knowledge-based elements of the course.

Access to Basic Facilities

Learners should have access to appropriate toilet facilities, drinking water and suitable break arrangements.

A Safe and Accessible Environment

The training area must be safe, accessible and suitable for the practical activities involved.

Before confirming an onsite booking, we can discuss the available facilities and whether the location is appropriate.

We provide the specialist first aid training equipment required for the course, including appropriate manikins, AED training equipment and other practical resources.

How Many Employees Can Attend an Onsite First Aid Course?

At First Aid and Safety Training, our standard onsite group arrangements accommodate up to 12 learners.

For businesses with fewer employees, we can still discuss private training arrangements.

Our standard onsite pricing is based on a minimum group charge covering up to six learners.

This means that a business with six employees may find onsite training particularly attractive, while smaller groups may benefit from comparing private training with individual open-course places.

For organisations with more than 12 employees, additional course dates or groups can be arranged.

This ensures learners have appropriate opportunities to participate in practical activities and complete the required assessments.

Is Onsite First Aid Training Suitable for Every Business?

Onsite training can benefit a wide range of organisations, but it is not always the most practical option.

It is particularly useful when:

Several employees need the same qualification.
Travel to an external training venue would be inconvenient.
The business has a suitable training room.
Employees work at the same location.
Training needs to be coordinated around business operations.
The employer wants to simplify group training arrangements.

However, an open course may be more suitable when only one or two employees require training or when suitable onsite facilities are unavailable.

The best choice depends on your organisation’s circumstances.

Onsite First Aid Training Guide. Benefits and Cost Savings for Businesses

Onsite First Aid Training Across the North East

First Aid and Safety Training works with businesses and organisations across the North East of England.

We can discuss onsite first aid training for employers in areas including:

South Shields and South Tyneside.
Sunderland.
Newcastle upon Tyne.
Gateshead.
Durham.
North Tyneside.
Washington.
Other locations across the wider North East.

For businesses with multiple premises, we can discuss the most practical way to arrange training across different locations.

We also provide open first aid courses for individuals and smaller groups who prefer to attend an established training venue.

Why Choose First Aid and Safety Training?

When arranging first aid training, employers need confidence that their staff will receive practical, appropriate training that meets the relevant qualification requirements.

First Aid and Safety Training is a Qualsafe Awards Approved Training Centre.

We deliver regulated qualifications awarded by Qualsafe Awards, an Ofqual-recognised awarding organisation.

Our approach focuses on helping learners develop practical skills they can use when an emergency happens.

We provide:

Recognised first aid qualifications.
Practical, hands-on learning.
Onsite group training.
Open first aid courses.
Blended learning options for suitable qualifications.
Training for businesses and organisations across the North East.

Our aim is to ensure learners leave with more than a certificate. We want them to feel confident recognising an emergency and providing appropriate first aid.

Real Skills, Real Confidence.

Frequently Asked Questions About Onsite First Aid Training

Is Onsite First Aid Training Cheaper Than an Open Course?

It can be, particularly when several employees need the same qualification.

The overall cost depends on the group size, course type and agreed training price.

For smaller numbers of learners, individual open-course places may be more economical.

Can First Aid Training Be Delivered at Our Workplace?

Yes, provided your workplace has suitable facilities for the course.

We can discuss your training room, learner numbers and practical requirements before confirming a booking.

How Many People Can Attend an Onsite First Aid Course?

Our standard onsite courses accommodate up to 12 learners.

For larger teams, additional training dates or groups can be arranged.

Do You Provide the First Aid Training Equipment?

Yes. We provide the specialist training equipment required for the course, including practical first aid resources.

Your organisation will need to provide a suitable training space and basic facilities.

Can We Book Onsite Paediatric First Aid Training?

Yes. We can discuss onsite Paediatric First Aid training for childcare providers and other organisations that require the qualification.

Is Onsite First Aid Training the Same Qualification as an Open Course?

Yes, where the same regulated qualification is delivered.

The relevant learning outcomes and assessment requirements must be met regardless of whether the course takes place at your premises or an external training venue.

How Often Do Employees Need to Renew Their First Aid Qualifications?

First Aid at Work, Emergency First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid qualifications are normally valid for three years.

Employers should arrange appropriate requalification training before certificates expire.

The HSE also strongly recommends annual refresher training for workplace first aiders.

Can We Arrange Training for Different Departments?

Yes. If employees across different departments require training, we can discuss suitable arrangements, including separate groups or course dates where necessary.

Book Onsite First Aid Training for Your Business

Onsite first aid training can offer businesses a practical way to train employees, reduce unnecessary travel and potentially save money on group bookings.

It also allows your team to develop essential first aid skills together, helping employees become more confident when responding to workplace emergencies.

At First Aid and Safety Training, we provide onsite Emergency First Aid at Work, First Aid at Work and Paediatric First Aid training for businesses across the North East.

Whether you need to train six employees or arrange multiple courses for a larger organisation, we can help you explore the most suitable option.

Get in touch to discuss your training requirements, learner numbers and preferred dates.

Contact First Aid and Safety Training for an Onsite Training Quote

Real Skills, Real Confidence.