FA Certificate Requirements for PB2 Commercial Endorsement

[stafs]

I am looking to commercialy endorse my PB2 and have asked a few people this question but have been getting different answers, so I thought I would put it to the fountain of knowledge within the forum.

Simple question.

Is a Health and Safety at work first aid certificate ( four day course ) accepted or do I need to do the RYA one day course.

Don't mind doing the RYA course but would rather spend the money on BEER !!

[Poly]

Stafs - you'll get a better answer if you posted your question in the "Commercial Forum" with a more more informative title than "answer wanted". So I have moved/renamed it for you.

[Poly]

Not sure if this helps or further confuses the issue - but the RYA application form doesn't actually ask for a FA cert at all! http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollection...ion%20Form.pdf

[stafs]

Thanks for that I was told first aid was a requirement but as you say there is no mention of it on the application form.

Hey Ho looks like beer money.

[SeaSkills]

This is the information you want (from MGN 280):

2.8 First Aid Training
The skipper or a member of the crew of vessels which operate in Area Category 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 should hold an MCA approved Elementary First Aid Certificate (or the First Aid at Sea
certificate or Medical First Aid certificate), an RYA First Aid Certificate, or a SeaFish Basic
First Aid Certificate, provided use of the medical stores is covered in the course. Skippers of
vessels operating in Area Category 0 or 1 should hold a Proficiency in Medical Care
Certificate (or its predecessor, the Ship Captain’s Medical Certificate) unless another member of the crew holds a medical or nursing qualification of an equivalent or a higher standard.
The skipper or nominated first-aider should undertake refresher training at least every
five years.

Your 4-day first aid course is almost certainly OK for use in the areas covered by your Powerboat L2, provided it included immersion hypothermia, drowning etc, but I'd usually recommend the RYA certificate with the endorsement for a Category C First Aid kit.

If you want a definitive answer for the equivalence of any first aid certificate, call the RYA on 0345 045 0800 and speak to the Certification Dept

[Doug Stormforce]

The requirement to produce your First Aid certificate to get the commercial endorsement disappeared a while ago, however you are still required to hold it in the same way you are required to hold the commercial endorsement itself, (or to be accurate someone on board needs to hold it).

It is in my experience the thing most over looked by commercial skippers and just as much law as the other tickets they hold.

The HSE FAW does not however cover hypothermia, immersion, drowning etc.

Within the letter of the law the HSE cert does therefore qualify but I have seen many FAW holders use it for higher level tickets like Yachtmaster. I would therefore be happy for one of my staff to use it in this example.

Remember the FAW only lasts 3 yrs

As Ian said the RYA ticket with cat C drugs endorsement would be more appropriate.

[whiteminiman]

Originally Posted by Doug Stormforce

The HSE FAW does not however cover hypothermia, immersion, drowning etc..

The HSE recognised FAW should be run to cover a nominated syllabus outlined by the HSE, and any specific elements that are appropriate to the workplace of the individual.

The ticket should match the workplace.... a course run for a aluminium smelting plant should have a slightly different focus than one run for a library - they are both going to cover certain basic elements, but with different "extras". The course should reflect the needs of the individuals on it. So anyone who has done the course (and told the instructor where they work) should have covered drowning and hypothermia - assuming they went to a provider that actually gives a $h!*.

First Aid is exactly what it says, First Aid. No need to get fancy and complicated.

Do something, it's always better than doing nothing.

Drowning is simple. Do CPR.
Hypothermia is simple. Get them warm.

Sorry, I'll get off my high-horse now.

WMM

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by whiteminiman

Do something, it's always better than doing nothing.
Drowning is simple. Do CPR.
Hypothermia is simple. Get them warm.

Crikey! Do not let St Johns see this post.

[Channel Ribs]

Originally Posted by stafs

Don't mind doing the RYA course but would rather spend the money on BEER !!

Beer is good, true. But the RYA First Aid can be a really good course to do, the last one I went on was run by one of the local lifeboat paramedics and his sea stories alone made the course fee great value.

One small word of warning, the sylabus is quite loose so pick a good school - like the ones on here.

[jwalker]

Originally Posted by Polwart

....but the RYA application form doesn't actually ask for a FA cert at all!

Nor is it required.

[AndrewH]

Originally Posted by malthouse

Crikey! Do not let St Johns see this post.

Actually you'd may be surprised to know that FAW (as taught by St Johns, Red Cross etc) is pretty much in line with WMM's advice.

From what I've seen over a number of refreshers (i.e. every 3 yrs) is that it gets marginally simpler and more condensed every revision. Even the CPR routine is much simpler than when I first qualified.

WMM your are quite right

Originally Posted by whiteminiman

First Aid is exactly what it says, First Aid. No need to get fancy and complicated.

Do something, it's always better than doing nothing.

and I'd add...

and get the casualty and professionals together ASAP. Ideally not moving the casualty unless you really have to.

WMM: Got any spare space in the stable for high horses?

[stafs]

Have to aggree I requalified this afternoon and thinking back to when I first took my initial it was much more intense but the main thing is that under used thing common dog.