The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 |
First Aid Assessment
The Regulations require all employers to make adequate and appropriate provision for first aid in response to an accident or someone falling ill in the workplace.
Every employer should make an assessment of what the first aid requirements might or should be to meet this standard. This includes assessing what equipment you might need and what personnel you might need to cover all of the sites and shifts that you work.
The minimum first-aid provision at any workplace is:
a suitably stocked first-aid box and what is suitable depends on your business and your assessment of the risks involved
an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements, more than one if you work a shift pattern
a notice to tell employees who and where the first-aiders or appointed persons are and where the first-aid box is.
The appointed person is someone:
to take charge in a medical emergency, including calling an ambulance
to look after any first aid equipment, for example, keeping the first aid box replenished
to keep records of any first aid emergencies
The appointed person does not need to be trained in first aid but if not trained should not administer any.
A first-aider is someone who has undertaken training and has a qualification that HSE approves. This means that they must hold a valid certificate of competence in either:
first aid at work (FAW), issued by a training organisation approved by HSE; or
emergency first aid at work (EFAW), issued by a training organisation approved by HSE
Most small businesses may find it sufficient simply to appoint someone to act as an appointed person. Whether or not you need to provide training in first aid to any of your employees and how many employees to train will form an important part of your risk assessment.
Conducting a First Aid Assessment
Consider the following:
does the work involve hazardous substances, dangerous tools or equipment, or dangerous processes
are there different levels of risk in different parts of the premises or on different sites
what is the accident and health record of the business and what does that record indicate
how many people are ever likely to be on site
are there young person or other high risk groups likely to be present
is the site remote from other first aid provision such as hospitals or clinics
are members of the public present and are they at greater risk
You should keep your first aid needs under review when you review your other risk assessments or when circumstances change.
Additional Reading:
What should be in the first aid box
How Many First Aiders Should I Have?
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