How long does a first aid certificate last?

How long does a first aid certificate last?

It's one of the questions I get asked most, usually by someone who's just been told by their boss that their first aid is "out of date". So here's the honest answer, and it's a little bit different to what most people expect.

The certificate itself doesn't expire

When you complete a nationally recognised unit like HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, you're issued a Statement of Attainment. Under the national training system, that unit is yours for life. It doesn't have an expiry date printed on it, and nobody can take it away from you.

So why does everyone talk about first aid "expiring"? Because what matters at work isn't whether you've ever done the course. It's whether your skills are current.

What "current" actually means

Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice for first aid in the workplace recommends that first aiders refresh their first aid training every three years and their CPR every 12 months. Most employers, and most of the industries we work with out here, follow that. Some sites set tighter timeframes of their own, so it's always worth checking what your workplace requires.

As a general guide:

Course	Usual refresher
HLTAID009 Provide CPR	Every 12 months
HLTAID011 Provide First Aid	Every 3 years (with CPR every 12 months)
HLTAID014 Provide Advanced First Aid	Every 3 years (with CPR every 12 months)
HLTAID015 Provide Advanced Resuscitation and Oxygen Therapy	Every 12 months
PUAEME008 Provide Pain Management	Every 12 months

Why CPR is every year

Here's the thing. CPR is a skill you hopefully never use, and skills you don't use fade quickly. I've been a paramedic for over 11 years and I still practise. The research on this is pretty consistent: depth, rate and confidence all drop off within months of training if you don't refresh.

And out here, that matters a lot. If you're on a farm outside Bathurst or on a mine site in the Central West, the ambulance can be a long way off. I've worked on road both in Sydney and out here, and the difference in how long you're waiting is real. What you do in those first few minutes is what changes the outcome. That's exactly when you want your CPR to feel automatic, not like something you're trying to remember from a course three years ago.

What if mine has lapsed?

That's absolutely fine, and very, very common. You don't need to start from scratch. Because your units don't expire, you can usually just book into a refresher, as long as you meet the course entry requirements.

If you're not sure where you're at, have a look at your Statement of Attainment for the date you completed it, or check your USI transcript online. And if you're still unsure, give us a call. We're happy to help you work out what you need.

The short version

Your certificate is yours forever, but your skills need looking after. CPR every year, first aid every three years, and anything your workplace asks for on top of that. If it's been a while, now's a really good time to book in.