If you run a business in Congleton, you have a legal responsibility to make sure your employees have access to first aid. That is not optional. It is a requirement under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, and it applies to every business regardless of size, sector, or how low-risk you think your workplace is.
But the regulations do not tell you exactly what to do. They tell you to provide adequate and appropriate first aid arrangements based on a risk assessment, which leaves a lot of business owners wondering what adequate actually means for their particular situation. This guide breaks it down.
We are PCT Services, and we deliver Qualsafe Awards accredited first aid training from our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich, about a 20 minute drive from Congleton. We also deliver on-site training at workplaces across the area.
What the law requires
Every employer must carry out a first aid needs assessment. This looks at the nature of your work, the hazards involved, the number of employees, the history of accidents in your workplace, and how far you are from emergency services. Based on that assessment, you decide what level of first aid provision you need.
At a minimum, every workplace must have a suitably stocked first aid kit and an appointed person who takes charge of first aid arrangements. But for most Congleton businesses, that minimum is not enough. The moment you have employees who could be injured, become ill, or deal with members of the public, you need trained first aiders.
The two main courses
Emergency First Aid at Work (1 Day)
This is the course that the majority of Congleton businesses need. It is a single day of practical, hands-on training that covers the core emergencies a first aider is most likely to encounter. CPR, choking, serious bleeding, burns and scalds, shock, and unconsciousness.
It is Qualsafe Awards accredited, costs £75 plus VAT per person, the certificate is valid for three years, and groups can be up to 12.
If you run a pub on the high street, a hair salon, a dental practice, a cafe, a shop, or an office, Emergency First Aid at Work is almost certainly the right course for your team. It gives your designated first aider the knowledge and confidence to manage an emergency until the ambulance arrives.
Emergency First Aid at Work
This 1 day Qualsafe accredited course provides comprehensive training designed to equip employees with essential first aid skills tailored for low risk working environments, ensuring employer compliance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Your trainer is a Registered Nurse with many years of clinical experience within Emergency Departments who trains Advanced Life Support to medical and nursing staff in acute hospital environments.
Northwich Training Centre, Northwich
12 spots left · 8 dates available
First Aid at Work (3 Day)
This is the comprehensive course for businesses where the risks are higher or the workforce is larger. It covers everything in the one day course plus additional topics including head injuries, spinal injuries, chest injuries, eye injuries, poisoning, anaphylaxis, asthma, diabetes, seizures, and more.
It costs £195 plus VAT per person, the certificate is valid for three years, and groups can be up to 12.
If you run a care home where residents are elderly and frail, a garage where staff work with heavy equipment and chemicals, a manufacturing unit, or any business where serious injuries are a realistic possibility, the three day course provides the deeper level of competence your first aiders need.
First Aid at Work (FAW)
This 3 day Qualsafe accredited course provides comprehensive training designed to equip employees with essential first aid skills tailored for high risk working environments, ensuring employer compliance with the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. Your trainer is a Registered Nurse with many years of clinical experience within Emergency Departments.
Northwich Training Centre, Northwich
6 spots left · 2 dates available
How many first aiders does your Congleton business need?
The HSE does not set a fixed ratio, but the general guidance is straightforward. Low-risk workplaces like shops, offices, and salons should have at least one trained first aider for every 25 to 50 employees. Higher-risk workplaces like garages, care homes, kitchens, and anywhere with machinery or chemicals should have at least one for every 5 to 25 employees.
If you have fewer than 25 employees in a low-risk setting, you need at least one person trained in Emergency First Aid at Work. If you only have one or two employees, you still need an appointed person and a first aid kit, and training is strongly recommended even if not strictly mandatory.
The key question to ask yourself is this: if someone collapsed, had a seizure, started choking, or cut themselves badly in your workplace right now, is there someone on site who would know exactly what to do? If the answer is no, you need training.
What about businesses with public-facing roles?
Many Congleton businesses serve members of the public. Pubs, restaurants, cafes, shops, dental practices, salons, and leisure facilities all have customers, clients, or patients on the premises throughout the day. While you are not legally required to provide first aid to members of the public, the practical reality is that if a customer collapses in your pub or a child chokes in your cafe, you cannot simply stand by and wait.
Having staff trained in first aid means your team can respond competently to any emergency, whether it involves an employee or a member of the public. It protects people, it protects your reputation, and it demonstrates the kind of responsible business practice that customers in a close-knit town like Congleton notice and value.
On-site or at our training centre
We offer both options. For businesses with a group of staff who need training, on-site delivery is often the most convenient. We come to your premises in Congleton, bring all the equipment, and train your team in their own environment. You need a room with enough floor space for practical exercises, and we handle everything else.
For businesses with just one or two people who need training, attending a scheduled course at our training centre at First Floor, 2 Queen Street in Northwich is the simpler option. It is about a 20 minute drive from Congleton, and we run courses throughout the year with live dates available on our course pages.
Refresher training
First aid certificates are valid for three years. After that, your first aiders need to retrain to keep their qualification current. We recommend booking refresher training before the certificate expires rather than after, because a lapsed certificate means you are technically non-compliant until the refresher is completed.
Some businesses in Congleton set up a rolling training calendar so that certificates are staggered. This means you never have a situation where all your first aiders are out of date at the same time.
Book your training
Check the upcoming dates on our Emergency First Aid at Work page or our First Aid at Work page and book your places directly. Or give us a call on 07958 915146 to discuss on-site training for your Congleton team. We are happy to talk through your needs assessment and recommend the right course for your business.
Every Congleton business is different, but the legal duty is the same. Make sure your team is trained, your first aid kit is stocked, and your people know what to do when it matters.
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