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Under WA's Work Health and Safety laws, a business must provide first aid equipment, facilities and an adequate number of trained first aiders. The WA code of practice recommends starting from one first aider for every 50 workers in low risk workplaces, one for every 25 in high risk, and one for every 10 in remote high risk, then adjusting for your hazards, numbers on site, shifts and distance to medical help. First aiders should hold a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment, with CPR refreshed annually and first aid every three years.
Western Australia's Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and the Work Health and Safety (General) Regulations 2022 require a person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) to provide first aid equipment, make sure workers have access to it, and ensure an adequate number of workers are trained to administer first aid, or that workers have access to someone who is. The First aid in the workplace: Code of practice (PDF), published by WorkSafe WA, is the practical guide to meeting that duty.
"Adequate" is not a fixed number. The code gives starting ratios and then asks you to adjust them for your own workplace. That is what the rest of this page walks through.
The WA code of practice recommends these as a starting point:
Then adjust for your situation. The code asks you to consider:
A quick way to think about it. Work out how many people could be on site at your busiest, pick the ratio that matches your risk, round up, then add cover for every shift and for leave. For most small WA businesses that means two or three trained first aiders rather than one.
The code also covers first aid kits, first aid rooms and procedures. This page focuses on training and records. Read the full code (PDF).
The code says first aiders should hold, as a minimum, a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment from an RTO for the Provide First Aid unit (HLTAID011) or an equivalent. Higher or additional training may be needed for remote work, dangerous substances, specialist equipment, a first aid room, children on site, psychological risks or workers with known medical conditions.
| Your workplace | Unit for designated first aiders | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Office, retail, hospitality, most trades, community organisations | HLTAID011 Provide First Aid | The standard workplace unit. Includes CPR and AED. |
| Childcare, early learning, OSHC, schools | HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an education and care setting | ACECQA approved. Covers first aid, anaphylaxis and emergency asthma in one unit. |
| Sites an hour or more from emergency help: stations, mines, parks, remote construction | HLTAID013 Provide First Aid in remote or isolated site | Extended care, triage, evacuation planning and remote communications. |
| First aid coordinators, high-risk sites, events and venues | HLTAID014 Provide Advanced First Aid | Scene control, multiple casualties and coordinating other first aiders. |
| Everyone else, between first aid renewals | HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation | The annual CPR refresh. Also a good minimum for staff who are not designated first aiders. |
A sensible structure for many WA workplaces: designated first aiders hold HLTAID011 (or the specialist unit the site needs), and as many other staff as practical hold current CPR. Confidence spreads when more people have practised. Compare all five units.
The code states that refresher training in CPR should be carried out annually and first aid qualifications renewed every three years. Australian workplace first aid guidance commonly recommends refreshing CPR every 12 months and first aid every 3 years. Employer, industry or registration body requirements take priority. A Statement of Attainment has no legal expiry date, so it is your register, not the certificate, that tells you who is current.
Keeping one register for the whole team does three jobs at once: it shows an inspector you have thought about cover, it tells you who is due next, and it lets you book one group session when several people fall due together instead of sending them off one at a time.
A ready-to-use spreadsheet with the columns below. Download it, open in Excel or Google Sheets, and fill in one row per person. The CPR and first aid due dates are worked out for you from the completion date.
| Staff member | Role / site / shift | Unit held | Completion date | CPR due | First aid due | Employer requirement | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example: Sam Lee | Warehouse, day shift | HLTAID011 | 12/03/2026 | 12/03/2027 | 12/03/2029 | Renew every 3 years | Designated first aider |
The code also expects first aiders to keep a confidential record of any first aid treatment given and report it to management regularly, so first aid arrangements can be reviewed. That is a separate log from the training register.
REACHAU delivers every unit on site across Perth and regional WA: workplaces, schools, stations, clubs and community venues. Group sessions are the simplest way to keep a whole team current at once, and the pre-course theory is done online so the session itself is practical.
REACHAU can also deliver ABC First Aid's non-accredited mental health support courses for workplaces that want to go further than physical first aid. Ask when you request a quote.
On-site group sessions across Perth and regional WA, every unit, theory done online so the day is practical. Tell Britt about your group and get a quote.
Training and Assessment is delivered by Britt at Regional Education and Career Help Australia on behalf of ABC First Aid RTO 3399.
The WA code of practice recommends starting from one first aider for every 50 workers in low risk workplaces, one for every 25 in high risk, and one for every 10 in remote high risk, then adjusting for your hazards, the maximum number of people on site, shifts and distance to medical help. Plan for cover across every shift and for leave.
A PCBU must ensure workers have access to first aid equipment and facilities and to an adequate number of trained first aiders under the Work Health and Safety Act 2020 and regulations. The code of practice sets out how to meet that duty and is admissible as evidence of what is reasonably practicable.
As a minimum, a nationally recognised Statement of Attainment for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid or an equivalent. Education and care services use HLTAID012, remote sites use HLTAID013, and first aid coordinators or high-risk sites may need HLTAID014.
The WA code states CPR refresher training should be carried out annually and first aid qualifications renewed every three years. Your own policy or industry body can set shorter periods, and that requirement takes priority.
Read the document for the unit code, RTO name and number, learner name and completion date, ask for a USI transcript extract, or contact the issuing RTO. How employers check a certificate.
Yes. Every unit can be delivered at your workplace, school, station, club or community venue across Perth and regional WA. Request a group quote.
ABC First Aid RTO 3399 keeps the official student records and issues the Statements of Attainment. Your own register is still the quickest way to see who is due, which is why the template above is free to download. Renewal reminders for people who trained with REACHAU are sent from reachau.com.au.