What WorkSafe Says About First Aid Training And How Realmed Fits In

🩹 What WorkSafe says about First Aid Training

When workplaces start looking for first aid training, one of the first questions that comes up is:
“Do we need to use an NZQA-accredited provider?”

WorkSafe’s First Aid at Work guidance includes the following recommendation:

“We recommend workers be trained in first aid by an organisation accredited by the New Zealand Qualifications Authority.”

But this is where many employers misunderstand their actual obligations.

WorkSafe’s Advice Is a Recommendation — Not a Requirement ⚠️

WorkSafe does not mandate NZQA training.
Instead, employers are responsible for choosing a first aid provider who can deliver training that matches the risks of their workplace.

This gives businesses flexibility — and it opens the door to training options that may be more relevant, more practical, and more effective than traditional NZQA unit-standard courses.

Here’s what this means for your organisation 👇

1. You Can Choose the Provider That Best Meets Your Workplace Needs 🏢✔️

WorkSafe’s wording allows employers to select any competent first aid provider.

This means you’re free to choose training based on:

• the quality of instruction

• the relevance to your workplace hazards

• the level of hands-on practice

• the realism of the scenarios

• the confidence your staff walk away with

NZQA accreditation is one option — not the only option.

2. RealMed Provides Fully Recognised First Aid Certificates 📝

• Realmed issues two-year first aid certificates, the same validity period used by NZQA providers.

• These certificates meet employer requirements for having trained first aiders on site.

• Workplaces choose Realmed because you get recognised certification plus highly practical, scenario-based training that aligns better with real-world emergencies.

3. CPR Refresher Frequency Is the Same ❤️‍🩹

WorkSafe refers to ANZCOR’s recommendation that:

• CPR be refreshed annually where possible, or

• every two years as the minimum standard

RealMed follows the same ANZCOR guidelines, and all training is delivered by a New Zealand Resuscitation Council Certified Emergency Care Instructor.

Your team receives up-to-date, clinically correct guidance — every time.

4. High-Risk Workplaces Often Need More Than NZQA 🧰🚑

WorkSafe also advises:

“If it would take some time for emergency services to reach your workplace, consider additional training… in advanced techniques.”

This is where RealMed truly excels.

We specialise in advanced, real-world training that goes far beyond the NZQA unit standards, including:

• Control the Bleed 🩸

• Tourniquet application 🦾

• Wound packing 🧵

• Pressure bandaging 🩹

• Special FX trauma simulations 🎭

For agriculture, forestry, construction, trades, remote teams, and high-risk industries, these skills make a massive difference.

5. Many Workplaces Choose RealMed for Stronger Practical Training 💪🎯

Because WorkSafe allows flexibility, many organisations now prefer scenario-based training over NZQA assessments.

They choose Realmed when they want:

• More realistic emergency practice

• More confident responders

• Onsite training with minimal downtime

• Training tailored to actual workplace risks

• Higher engagement and better retention

Your staff don’t just sit through slides — they train like it’s real.

Conclusion 🧭

WorkSafe recommends NZQA, but businesses can select the provider that best fits their needs.
RealMed offers recognised certification, ANZCOR-aligned CPR training, and advanced, realistic scenarios designed to give your team real capability when it matters.

If your priority is building confident responders rather than ticking boxes, RealMed is the right fit for your workplace.

Learn More or Book Training 📘➡️

Workplace First Aid Requirements Blog
👉 https://www.realmed.co.nz/blog/workplace-first-aid-requirements

View RealMed First Aid Courses
👉 https://www.realmed.co.nz/courses

Give your team training that prepares them for real emergencies — not just paperwork. 💥🩺

👉 Contact RealMed First Aid today to book your next course.

📱 Cell: +64 21 123 4567

✉️ Email: info@realmed.co.nz

🌐 www.realmed.co.nz

📍 Learn More with RealMed First Aid

We teach this and more in our:

✅ Comprehensive First Aid Course

✅ Workplace First Aid Course

✅ Refresher First Aid Course

✅ Special FX Scenarios 

✅ Basic Life Support Course

✅ Control the Bleed Course

📅 Private on-site courses available across New Zealand.