Occupational First Aid/Health and Safety Authority (HSA) transition to Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) First Aid Response Education and Training Standard

1 June 2017
The Health and Safety Authority (HSA) and the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) are continuing the transition process from the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) Occupational First Aid (OFA) learner training standard to PHECC’s First Aid Response (FAR), as the recognised standard meeting the requirements of the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work (General Application) Regulations 2007 (S.I. No. 299 of 2007). 

 

The main actions and information points are as follows:

  1. As and from 1 September 2017, the HSA will only recognise the PHECC First Aid Response Education and Training Standard (FAR) as meeting the needs of occupational first aid (OFA) in all workplaces.
  2. Any QQI OFA 5N1207 learner certificate issued up to 31 August 2017 will be recognised by the HSA for the full 2 year duration of the certificate.
  3. Any refresher certificate issued by a recognised training provider issued to 31st August 2017 will also be recognised by the HSA for the full 2 year duration of the certificate.
  4. HSA is communicating to its OFA instructors, who have not already done so, should apply to a PHECC Recognised Institution (RI), approved to provide the FAR instructor course, to have their qualification/s assessed with a view to becoming FAR certified.
  5. The current list of RIs can be found at www.phecit.ie.
  6. The FAR Standard (page 19) provides for the Recognition of Prior Learning, this facilitates the transition of OFA instructors to FAR.
  7. OFA training organisations seeking to become PHECC Recognised Institutions (RI) for delivering the FAR (inclusive of CFR) and FAR instructors courses are encouraged to apply to PHECC.  Refer to PHECC application information to become a recognised institution.  Click here for the PHECC webpage.
  8. OFA training providers (both organisations and individuals) will be kept informed of developments by email from the HSA and announcements on our respective websites www.hsa.ie and www.phecit.ie.