It is this:

"What if I get it wrong?" Usually followed closely by:

"Could I be sued for helping?" It is an understandable concern.

When faced with a medical emergency, most people genuinely want to help. However, the fear of making a mistake, causing harm or facing legal action can sometimes stop people from stepping forward when someone needs assistance most.

The good news is that UK law is generally very supportive of people who act in good faith during an emergency. If you provide first aid within the limits of your knowledge and training, the risk of being successfully sued is extremely low.

First Things First: Doing Nothing Can Be More Harmful

Imagine someone collapses in front of you. They are not breathing normally and have no signs of life. In that situation, doing nothing gives them virtually no chance of survival. Even if you are not completely confident, taking action gives them a chance.

This is why first aid training focuses on building confidence as well as competence. You do not need to be perfect. You simply need to be willing to help.

In many emergencies, early intervention by a bystander can make the difference between life and death. Immediate CPR, using a defibrillator and calling 999 can significantly improve survival rates.

What Does the Law Say in the UK?

Many people search online for terms such as:

• Can I be sued for giving first aid?
• Good Samaritan Law UK
• Legal protection for first aiders
• What happens if I get first aid wrong?

In England and Wales, there is no specific law called the Good Samaritan Act or Good Samaritan Law. However, the legal system recognises that people who step forward during an emergency should not be judged in the same way as trained healthcare professionals working in controlled environments.

In 2015, the Social Action, Responsibility and Heroism Act (SARAH) was introduced. The Act encourages courts to consider whether someone was acting for the benefit of another person or intervening in an emergency when deciding negligence claims.

In simple terms, the courts recognise the difference between someone trying to help in a difficult situation and someone acting recklessly. This means that if you provide emergency first aid in good faith, the law is generally on your side.

What Are Good Samaritan Laws?

Many people have heard of Good Samaritan Laws and assume the UK has one. Good Samaritan Laws are designed to encourage people to help others during emergencies by providing legal protection when assistance is given honestly and without reckless behaviour. Several countries have specific Good Samaritan legislation or legal protections, including:

• United States – Every state has some form of Good Samaritan Law protecting people who provide emergency assistance.
• Canada – Most provinces and territories have Good Samaritan legislation protecting volunteer rescuers.
• Australia – Good Samaritan protections exist across Australian states and territories.
• Ireland – The Civil Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2011 provides protection for Good Samaritans and volunteer first aiders.

While the UK does not have a specific Good Samaritan Law by name, the legal approach is broadly supportive of people who act responsibly and in good faith during emergencies.

Has Anyone Ever Been Successfully Sued for Giving First Aid?

Despite the fear that many people have, successful legal action against somebody who has provided first aid in good faith is incredibly rare. In reality, there are very few examples of ordinary members of the public being sued simply for attempting to help someone in an emergency. The legal system generally takes a common-sense approach.

If you act honestly, within the limits of your knowledge and training, and with the intention of helping, the risk of legal action is extremely low.

This is one of the reasons why first aid organisations, emergency services and healthcare professionals encourage members of the public to intervene when it is safe to do so.

What If I Break a Rib During CPR?

This is another question we hear regularly and the answer is simple:

Broken ribs are preferable to being dead.

Effective CPR requires chest compressions to be performed hard and fast. Occasionally this can result in bruising or even broken ribs, particularly in older casualties. While nobody wants to cause injury, these injuries are recognised and accepted risks of life-saving treatment. If somebody's heart has stopped, CPR gives them a chance of survival.

Healthcare professionals, ambulance services and first aid trainers all recognise that broken ribs can occur during effective CPR. The priority is restoring circulation and giving the casualty the best possible chance of survival.

What If I Make Things Worse?

Most people overestimate how much harm they can cause and underestimate how much good they can do. Modern first aid training teaches straightforward, evidence-based interventions such as:

• Calling 999
• Performing CPR
• Using a defibrillator (AED)
• Controlling severe bleeding
• Placing an unconscious breathing casualty into the recovery position

These actions save lives every day. Perfection is not the goal. Helping is.

The most important thing is to remain calm, follow your training and do what you reasonably can until professional help arrives.

The Bigger Risk

The biggest risk is often not helping because of fear. Many people who have experienced a cardiac arrest, severe bleeding incident or other medical emergency are alive today because someone nearby was willing to step forward and do something.

They were not doctors. They were not paramedics. They were ordinary people who chose to act.

Without immediate assistance, many casualties would not have survived long enough for emergency services to arrive.

Why First Aid Training Matters

One of the best ways to overcome the fear of helping is through professional first aid training.

Learning practical skills such as CPR, AED use, choking treatment and emergency response procedures can dramatically increase your confidence in a real-life emergency.

First aid training helps you:

• Recognise life-threatening emergencies
• Respond quickly and effectively
• Understand your legal responsibilities
• Use life-saving equipment correctly
• Feel confident helping others when every second counts

The more prepared you are, the more likely you are to take action when someone needs help.

The Bottom Line

If you find yourself in an emergency situation, remember this:

The law is not looking to punish people who genuinely try to help.

It is looking to support reasonable actions taken in difficult circumstances.

You do not need to have all the answers.

You do not need to be perfect.

You simply need the confidence to act when it matters most.

If you provide first aid in good faith, follow your training and do your best to help, the chances of being successfully sued are extremely small. And that is exactly why first aid training is so important.

Because when an emergency happens, confidence can be every bit as valuable as knowledge.

At FabTraining, we love our modern, fully equipped training venue but not all learning needs to happen in a training room. In fact, some of the best sessions happen in the most unexpected places.

Over the past six weeks alone, we have delivered high-quality, accredited training in some truly unique settings. From a wine tasting room to a city centre gin bar, a salad grower’s facility to a pet food manufacturer, a junior school, and an academy trust headquarters, we’ve adapted, overcome, and delivered blinking good training every single time.

More Than Just First Aid

Yes, we are best known for our exceptional first aid training, from Emergency First Aid at Work to Paediatric First Aid and FREC qualifications but we do much more than that.

Many of the sessions we’ve delivered on the road recently have focused on:

• ✅ Health & Safety essentials for food production and warehousing teams
• ✅ Fire Marshal training tailored for schools and offices
• ✅ Personal Licence courses for hospitality teams on-site in licensed premises
• ✅ Manual Handling and COSHH awareness for a wide range of sectors
• ✅ Mental Health Awareness in relaxed, familiar environments
• ✅ Safeguarding sessions for educational settings

Whatever the course, we bring the same energy, expertise, and flexibility because we believe training should work for you, not the other way around.

Where we have been recently

To give you an idea of just how varied our training travels have been lately, here are a few of the places we’ve set up shop:

• 🍷 Wine Tasting Room – Transformed into a space for licensing and first aid in hospitality.
• 🍸 City Centre Gin Bar – Staff brushed up on first aid and licensing knowledge without leaving the bar.
• 🥗 Salad Growers Facility – Health & safety essentials delivered right where they’re needed.
• 🐶 Pet Food Manufacturer – On-site compliance training made easy and accessible.
• 🏫 Junior School & Academy Trust HQ – From paediatric first aid to safeguarding, in a space staff already know.

Each location brought its own quirks, limited space, background noise, unique layouts but we made it work. That’s what we do best.

Training That Fits Your Space

We are often asked, “Can you come to us?” And unless there is a serious reason we can’t, the answer is a confident yes!

We meet all awarding organisation (AO) requirements, so as long as you have got a suitable space, we can bring everything else:

• CPR manikins
• Defibrillator trainers
• Fire safety kit
• Visual aids & workbooks
• Laptops/projectors (where needed)
  

Even better - Training on your site often means:

• No staff travel
• Real-world learning in your own environment
• Minimal disruption to your working day
• Better engagement and relevance

We are Not Just Flexible - We are Fab

We have got a brilliant training centre with all the mod cons, but if your preference is on-site, we’re always happy to come to you. Whether it’s a boardroom, classroom, staff room or even a cellar we have probably trained there!

Have equipment, will travel because training should be about more than just ticking a box. It should be engaging, professional, and adaptable, wherever it happens.

Looking for first aid, compliance, or health & safety training that comes to you?

Let’s chat. We will bring the training, you bring the space (and maybe a kettle).

At FabTraining, we believe that everyone should have access to essential first aid skills—no matter their age, background, or circumstances. That’s why we created the Fab First Aid Fund, a unique initiative that helps make first aid training more accessible to local schools, groups, and community organisations.

🌟 Why We Set Up the Fund

The idea for the Fab First Aid Fund came from our deep-rooted belief that first aid saves lives and that knowledge should never be limited by budget. We saw firsthand how many schools and small community groups struggled to access training due to financial constraints. So, we decided to take action.

By setting aside a portion of our profits the Fab First Aid Fund was born. It allows us to provide free or heavily subsidised training to those who need it most.

🛠️ How It Works

Each year, we allocate a set budget from the fund to support local initiatives. Schools, clubs, and community groups can apply for support by filling out a simple online form. We review each request carefully, making decisions based on impact, need, and availability.

In the past, the Fab First Aid Fund has supported:

• Free CPR training for local sports clubs

• First aid awareness sessions for parent groups

• Mini Medics courses in primary schools

• Equipment donations to youth groups

Every penny in the fund is used to promote lifesaving knowledge and community resilience.

🧒🏽 The Latest Initiative: Free Mini Medics for Schools This Summer

We're excited to announce that this summer term (May–July), we’re inviting local schools to apply for a free Mini Medics first aid session, funded entirely by the Fab First Aid Fund!

The Mini Medics programme is designed for children aged 7–11. It’s a fun, interactive way to introduce young people to basic first aid and emergency awareness. From learning how to call 999 to understanding how to help someone who’s unresponsive, these sessions build confidence, skills, and a real sense of responsibility.

We’re aiming to deliver sessions inat least 10 local schools but we’d love to do more, depending on demand and available funds.

✏️ How Schools Can Get Involved

If you work at or know a school that would benefit from a Mini Medics session this summer, we’d love to hear from you!

Click below to nominate a school or apply now

You can also help us spread the word by sharing this blog post or our social media updates. Together, we can inspire the next generation of lifesavers.

At FabTraining, we are always looking for ways to provide businesses with high-quality training that keeps their employees safe, confident, and compliant. That’s why we are thrilled to introduce IOSH Managing Safely to our training portfolio - a course that perfectly complements our existing workplace safety offerings and helps businesses create a safer working environment.

Workplace safety isn’t just about ticking boxes, it’s about building a culture where safety is at the heart of every decision. This course is a significant step towards that goal, empowering managers and supervisors with the knowledge they need to protect their teams and businesses.

Who Are IOSH?

IOSH (The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) is the world’s leading chartered body for health and safety professionals. With over 49,000 members in more than 130 countries, IOSH is dedicated to improving workplace safety standards globally. Their training courses are widely respected across industries and provide individuals with recognised, high-quality safety education.

The IOSH Managing Safely course is one of their flagship training programs, designed to give managers and supervisors a strong foundation in workplace safety responsibilities, risk management, and hazard control. It’s practical, engaging, and highly effective in helping businesses reduce incidents and create a safer working culture.

Why Is IOSH Managing Safely So Valuable?

This course isn’t just about meeting legal requirements—it’s about giving managers the confidence to lead on safety and protect their teams. Businesses that invest in IOSH Managing Safely training benefit in several ways:

A More Rounded Solution for Businesses

At FabTraining, we already provide a range of first aid, fire safety, and health & safety courses to help businesses meet their compliance needs. But safety isn’t just about having trained first aiders on site—it’s about preventing accidents in the first place.

That’s why IOSH Managing Safely is such an important addition to our portfolio. It equips managers with the skills to proactively manage safety risks, ensuring that workplace incidents are minimised before they happen. When combined with our other training courses, it creates a full-circle approach to workplace safety, helping businesses not only react to emergencies but prevent them entirely.

Bringing IOSH Managing Safely to Driffield

We’re especially excited to be working in collaboration with a partner company to make this course accessible to businesses in Driffield and the surrounding areas. We know that safety training is most effective when it’s tailored to the specific needs of local businesses, so we’re committed to delivering engaging, practical training that makes a real difference.

By offering this course locally, we’re making it easier for businesses to upskill their managers and create safer working environments without having to send their teams far afield.

Why Choose FabTraining for IOSH Managing Safely?

Get Involved

We can’t wait to see the impact this course has on local businesses, and we’d love to help you take your workplace safety to the next level.

If you’d like to learn more, book a course, or discuss how IOSH Managing Safely can benefit your organisation, get in touch today!