Do tradies need a First Aid certificate?
Not every tradie is legally required to hold a First Aid certificate. But every construction business must have enough trained First Aiders on site, construction is classed as a high risk workplace, and some trades need CPR to keep their licence. In practice, a First Aid certificate is one of the most useful tickets a tradie can hold after their White Card.
Here’s what the rules say and which course makes sense for you.
Isn’t First Aid covered in the White Card course?
No. The White Card course teaches you how to work safely on a construction site, including the procedures for accessing First Aid and responding to emergencies. It doesn’t teach you how to give First Aid. That’s a separate, nationally recognised course: HLTAID011 - Provide First Aid.
What the law requires
Under Queensland’s work health and safety laws, a business must provide First Aid equipment and make sure workers have access to people trained in First Aid. The law doesn’t set a fixed number. Instead, Queensland’s First aid in the workplace Code of Practice explains how to work out what’s adequate, and construction sites are one of its examples of a high risk workplace.
For high risk workplaces, the code recommends:
| Workplace | Recommended First Aiders |
|---|---|
| Low risk, such as an office | 1 for every 50 workers |
| High risk, such as a construction site | 1 for every 25 workers |
| Remote high risk, such as a mine | 1 for every 10 workers |
So a site with 40 workers needs at least 2 trained First Aiders on site. On small jobs, the First Aider is often one of the tradies on the crew, which is why employers and principal contractors look for workers who already hold a current First Aid certificate.
Why it helps your career
- It makes you more employable. A business has to cover its First Aid ratio on every site, and a worker who already holds the ticket is one less course to organise.
- Some sites ask for it. Principal contractors can set their own site requirements, and a current First Aid certificate is a common one for leading hands and supervisors.
- It’s quick. The course takes half a day, and the code of practice recommends renewing it every 3 years.
- You might need it. Construction is high risk work. Knowing how to manage bleeding, burns, fractures, eye injuries and a person who isn’t breathing can make all the difference before an ambulance arrives.
Electricians: CPR is part of your licence
If you’re an electrician, CPR isn’t optional. Under Queensland’s Electrical Safety Regulation 2026, the Electrical Safety Office must be satisfied that you’re trained and competent to carry out resuscitation when you apply for or renew an electrical work licence. Employers must also make sure workers who perform electrical work are competent in rescue and resuscitation, and a safety observer must have been assessed as competent in the previous 12 months.
That’s why most electricians complete a Low Voltage Rescue & CPR course every year. Read more in our guide to LVR & CPR renewal in Queensland.
Which course should I do?
- First Aid & CPR (HLTAID011): the course most workplaces ask for. It covers First Aid for injuries and illnesses, and includes CPR (HLTAID009) and basic emergency life support (HLTAID010). It takes 3.5 hours and costs $99. Book a First Aid course.
- CPR (HLTAID009): a CPR course or yearly refresher, if you only need CPR or your First Aid certificate is still within its 3 years. It takes 1.5 hours and costs $49. Book a CPR course.
- Low Voltage Rescue & CPR (UETDRMP018 & HLTAID009): for electricians and anyone working on or near low voltage electrical equipment. It takes 2.5 hours and costs $119. Book an LVR course.
Not sure whether you need LVR, First Aid or both? Read LVR & CPR vs First Aid & CPR.
How long does a First Aid certificate last?
Queensland’s First aid in the workplace Code of Practice recommends refreshing CPR every 12 months and renewing your First Aid qualification every 3 years. If you do your CPR or LVR & CPR course with Tradie Training, we send you a reminder before your yearly refresher is due.
Getting started in construction?
If you’re new to the industry, start with your White Card, then add First Aid. Both courses are run face-to-face at our Brisbane and Gold Coast training centres, with free parking and certificates issued on the day.