The Pre-Hospital Care Council recognise the difficulties that First Aid Responders have in relation to attending a First Aid Responder (FAR) refresher course to update their FAR certificate during the COVID-19 Pandemic. They are now allowing lee-way for all First Aid Responders whose certificates were due to expire during the COVID Pandemic. This means that certificates that were due to lapse in the last year can hopefully be refreshed when it is safe to do so. Please see excerpt from the statement from the Pre-Hospital Care Council.
"Council, at their meeting on January 21 2021, further advise that if a Responders certification has expired between March 2020 and July 31st 2021, a Responder may complete the refresher course to maintain certification."
The above statement will alleviate the stress that both employers and employees have been feeling in relation to updating their First Aid Response Certification.
The Health & Safety Authority (HSA) and TUSLA also recognise the difficulties that this Pandemic is causing. See further excerpt from PHECC below.
"The Regulatory requirements to hold FAR certification does not originate from PHECC, it comes from the requirements of HSA, Tusla and other institutions.
PHECC have been in consultation with these institutions regarding their requirement for individuals to hold in date FAR certificates.
PHECC are pleased to be able to report that both HSA and Tusla are taking a very pragmatic approach to this requirement, as detailed in their respective websites.
The Health and Safety Authority acknowledge that the First Aid Regulations require employers, based on a risk assessment, to have sufficient first aid equipment and trained first aiders in the workplace. The regulations do not specify the training standard, duration of training and retraining and recertification periods but the Authority will continue to recognise first aid responders existing FAR certification during the Covid 19 pandemic while they wait to be recertified. Those first aiders can continue to administer first aid in the workplace.
Please see the HSA website for further information or contact them directly.
Tusla acknowledge due to the ongoing pandemic, Tusla and Dept of Children and Youth Affairs have agreed to extend the timeframe to meet this requirement to the end of February 2021. In addition, for those staff that already have FAR certification which has now expired or is due to expire – their certificates will remain valid until courses are up and running again."
If any one has any queries in relation to the above please do not hesitate to
contact us.
