What Health & Safety Training Do Employees Actually Need?

By Michael Thompson ·

Does everyone need first aid training? Does health and safety training expire every year? We tackle seven common myths about employee health and safety training.

What Health & Safety Training Do Employees Actually Need?

Does every employee need a health and safety certificate?

Does everyone need first aid training?

Does health and safety training have to be repeated every year?

There's a lot of confusion around workplace health and safety training. Part of the problem is that employers are often presented with long lists of supposedly "mandatory" courses without much explanation of who actually needs them.

So let's separate some common myths from what UK employers actually need to consider.

Myth #1: Every employee must complete the same health and safety courses

Not true.

UK employers have a legal duty to provide the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to protect employees' health and safety.

But that doesn't mean every employee needs an identical package of online courses.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) makes clear that training requirements should reflect the work people actually carry out and the risks they're exposed to.

Think about two businesses:

Business A: A five-person marketing agency working from laptops.

Business B: A warehouse with employees operating machinery, moving heavy loads and handling workplace equipment.

Both employers have health and safety responsibilities.

Their training needs clearly aren't going to be identical.

Myth #2: There's an official list of mandatory health and safety courses

There isn't one universal list.

Instead, different pieces of health and safety legislation create duties relating to particular activities and risks.

The starting point should therefore be:

What work do our employees carry out, and what could cause them harm?

A risk assessment helps employers answer that question.

Training can then form part of the measures used to manage identified risks.

Depending on the workplace, that might mean considering training around:

Not every employee will necessarily require training in every subject.

For more information, visit our Health and Safety Training for Employees page.

Myth #3: Everyone needs first aid training

No.

Employers need to assess their workplace's first aid requirements and make appropriate arrangements.

The number of trained first aiders required depends on factors such as the size of the workforce, workplace hazards, working arrangements and the outcome of the first-aid needs assessment.

In some lower-risk workplaces, an appointed person may be sufficient.

Interestingly, HSE explicitly states that an appointed person doesn't need first aid training.

Where trained first aiders are required, however, they need training appropriate to the level identified by the employer's assessment. (hse.gov.uk)

So:

Everyone needs to know your first aid arrangements.

That doesn't mean:

Everyone needs to become a qualified first aider.

Myth #4: Buying an online course makes us compliant

This is one of the biggest misunderstandings around workplace training.

An online course can be an excellent way to provide employees with knowledge and awareness.

But health and safety isn't a certificate-collection exercise.

Imagine an employee is expected to use a piece of potentially dangerous machinery.

Giving them a 30-minute online health and safety course and saving the certificate isn't enough if they still don't know how to operate that equipment safely.

Specific regulations can require much more targeted training. For example, HSE's guidance on the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) explains that people using work equipment must receive adequate health and safety training relating to its use, risks and precautions. (hse.gov.uk)

Sometimes e-learning is enough.

Sometimes practical instruction is needed.

Sometimes competency needs to be demonstrated.

The training method needs to match the risk.

Myth #5: Health and safety training has to be repeated every year

Not necessarily.

There's no general rule saying every health and safety course expires after 12 months.

Training should be repeated periodically where appropriate and adapted when new or changed risks arise.

That might include situations where:

HSE guidance specifically identifies these kinds of circumstances when considering employee instruction and training. (hse.gov.uk)

We've covered this topic in more detail in our guide to How Often Mandatory Training Should Be Refreshed.

Myth #6: Employees should pay for their own required safety training

No.

Where health and safety training is necessary for an employee's work, employers cannot simply make the employee pay for it.

HSE states that necessary health and safety training should be treated as working time and employees should not be charged for training required under relevant health and safety provisions. (hse.gov.uk)

That's particularly worth remembering for businesses with shift workers and part-time employees.

Myth #7: Training is mainly something you do during induction

Induction is important.

But health and safety training isn't a one-and-done exercise.

Imagine you've trained an employee properly when they join.

Six months later, you introduce new machinery.

A year later, they become a supervisor.

Then you completely change one of your working procedures.

Their original induction training can't automatically cover all of that.

Training requirements should evolve alongside roles, equipment, procedures and risks.

So what should an employer actually do?

Forget the enormous generic course checklist for a moment.

A better process is:

1. Identify your hazards

What could realistically harm employees or others?

2. Assess the risks

Who could be affected and how?

3. Decide what training is needed

What do employees need to know or be able to do to manage those risks?

4. Match training to roles

Don't automatically assign every course to everyone.

5. Choose the right delivery method

Online learning, practical instruction, supervision or competency assessment may all have a place.

6. Keep records

Know who has completed what and when.

7. Review

Update training when risks, roles, equipment or requirements change.

That's a much stronger approach than simply asking:

“Which certificates do we need?”

How should businesses track health and safety training?

For a very small organisation, a spreadsheet may be enough.

But once you've got multiple employees, different roles and different training requirements, things become harder to follow.

You might have:

Sarah → Health & Safety + DSE
James → Health & Safety + Manual Handling + COSHH
Amir → Health & Safety + Fire Safety + First Aid
Lucy → Health & Safety + DSE + Manager Training

Now add completion dates, certificates and refresher requirements.

That's where an Employee Training Platform can help.

Instead of hunting through spreadsheets and emails, managers can see training assignments, completion and certificates centrally.

Health and safety training with MoreCPD

MoreCPD provides Online Staff Training covering a range of workplace health, safety and compliance subjects.

Organisations can assign appropriate courses to employees, monitor progress, track certificates and manage training records through one platform.

The aim isn't to make employees complete as many courses as possible.

It's to make sure people receive the right training for the work they actually do.

Explore Health & Safety Training for Employees →

Quick answers

Does every employee need health and safety training?
Employers must provide employees with the information, instruction, training and supervision necessary to protect their health and safety. Exactly what training is needed depends on the employee's work and the risks involved.

Does every employee need first aid training?
No. Employers should conduct a first-aid needs assessment and provide appropriate arrangements. Where a trained first aider isn't required, an appointed person may be sufficient, and HSE says that appointed person doesn't need first aid training.

Does health and safety training expire annually?
Not as a general rule. Training should be repeated periodically where appropriate and updated when new or changed risks arise.

Can health and safety training be completed online?
Many knowledge and awareness subjects can be delivered online, but some activities require practical instruction or demonstration of competency.

Should employers keep training records?
Yes. Records help organisations monitor what training employees have received and identify when additional or refresher training may be required.