Basic Life Support vs Advanced Life Support: Which First Aid Certificate Do You Need?

Basic Life Support (BLS) covers CPR, choking response, and use of an automated external defibrillator — the core skills relevant to any workplace, and often a baseline requirement for site first-aiders, HR staff, and general workplace safety representatives.

Advanced Life Support (ALS) builds on that foundation with airway management, medication administration, and cardiac rhythm recognition, and is aimed specifically at clinical staff, paramedics, and workplace medics who may need to intervene beyond basic response before emergency services arrive.

For most non-clinical workplaces — including construction sites — BLS combined with a general first-aid-at-work certificate covers the practical need; ALS becomes relevant specifically for organizations that employ dedicated on-site medical personnel, such as large industrial or remote project sites.