First Aid is the immediate care given to someone who is injured or suddenly becomes ill, before professional medical help arrives. Under the Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act 2005 and the General Application Regulations 2007, Irish employers are legally required to assess the risks in their workplace and provide appropriate first aid arrangements, including trained first aiders. The key principles of First Aid are simple: keep the scene safe, check the casualty, call 112 or 999, then preserve life, prevent the condition getting worse and promote recovery.
Workplace emergencies, from severe bleeding and choking to burns, falls, cardiac arrest, stroke and anaphylaxis, can happen at any moment, and the first few minutes often decide the outcome. A trained first aider who can give CPR, use an AED and control bleeding genuinely saves lives. Completing a First Aid Course is not just a legal requirement. It protects your colleagues, builds real confidence and is a skill that lasts a lifetime.