The Register of Exercise Professionals in the UK no longer requires exercise professionals registered at level 2 and above to hold a current cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificate.

The move, which comes after more than 18 months of consultation between training providers and SkillsActive, is in line with current guidance on health and safety legislation.

Guidelines from the Health and Safety Executive puts the onus on assessing first aid needs on employers, employees and anyone else on their premises. This applies to dealing with any reasonable foreseeable accidents, incidents or emergencies.

It is now expected that all registered exercise professionals – whether working in an employed capacity, or self-employed, as casuals or volunteers – will need to meet the required standards stated in the Code of Ethical Practice (CEP).

The CEP requires members to ensure ‘that within the limits of their control, they have a responsibility to risk assess their working environment to ensure as far as possible the safety of the participants with whom they work and instruct’. This may require the holding of first aid training which includes a current CPR certificate.

REPs’ Registrar Cliff Collins said: “This subject has been thoroughly researched and the conclusion is that it is down to employers, those who are self-employed, and awarding bodies to ensure a full and comprehensive risk assessment with regard to levels of first-aid and in particular ratios of instructors who have a CPR certificate.

“This on-going assessment process has to become part of the normal working practice for people and the Register will do all it can to encourage this.

“In the meantime we will inform all current members of the change to registration requirements and the implications and personal responsibilities. It will also ensure that the FIA and other trade associations and professional organisations are made aware of this change.”