No matter how careful you are, workplace accidents can still happen. UK workers suffer over half a million non-fatal injuries every year, many of which require immediate medical attention. Time is of the essence here, so having the right first aid arrangements is vital.
The law around first aid at work can be confusing. Every employer is required to make first aid provisions, but the exact nature of these will vary from workplace to workplace. We don’t want you to get it wrong, so we’ve compiled this handy guide. From first aid kits to first aid training, here’s everything you need to know.
What does the law say about first aid?
Workplace first aid is covered by The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981. These require every employer to provide “adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel” to administer immediate treatment of injuries and illnesses. This applies to every workplace, including those with fewer than five employees.
This is broken down into three main duties. Every employer must ensure that their workplace has the following: a suitably stocked first aid kit; an appointed person in charge of first aid; and information for employees on first aid arrangements.
What counts as “adequate and appropriate”?
As you’ve probably noticed, the wording of this legislation is quite vague. First aid provisions are mandatory, but it’s up to you to decide what they look like. The best way to determine this is to carry out a first aid needs assessment.
This is a detailed analysis of your working environment, taking into account everything from the number of workers to the nature of your work, any specific hazards to how close you are to the emergency services.
Using these findings, you can decide which first aid provisions are appropriate. A larger workforce will need more first aid supplies, while a larger worksite might require a first aid kit for each separate area. If your workplace is inaccessible to emergency services, extra provisions might be needed for on-site treatment.
Who should I put in charge of first aid?
The law requires you to nominate an appointed person in charge of first aid. It is this person’s job to restock first aid kits and call emergency services if necessary. No specific training is needed, but the appointed person must be on site at all times. You might need to appoint more than one person to accommodate holidays and shift patterns.
What should be in my first aid kit?
Your first aid kit should contain everything you need to deal with the most common workplace injuries. This may include:
- Individually wrapped sterile plasters of various sizes
- Individually wrapped sterile triangular bandages
- Individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- Disposable gloves
- Sterile eye pads
- Safety pins
- A leaflet containing basic first aid instructions
If your first aid needs assessment highlighted specific hazards, these should be reflected in the contents of your first aid kit. For example, if your workplace carries an elevated risk of burns, you might want to include extra non-adhesive bandages.
Do I need a trained first aider?
Whether you need trained first-aiders on site will depend on whether it is “adequate and appropriate”. Even if it were not a legal requirement for you, formal first aid training gives you peace of mind that emergency treatment will be administered correctly, as well as showing your employees that you care about their well-being.
A good rule of thumb is to train enough employees to ensure that a trained person is on site at all times. In terms of the training itself, there are two main options:
- Emergency first aid at work (EFAW)- This is the most basic level of first aid training. It usually takes the form of a one-day course, during which employees will learn to administer emergency first aid.
- First aid at work (FAW)- This is a more advanced course, usually lasting three days. As well as learning the basics of emergency first aid, employees will learn how to treat a range of specific injuries and illnesses.
Expert first aid training
Whichever course you choose, it’s important to use a reputable training provider. Our first aid instructors have years of experience in providing first aid training to businesses of all kinds. We offer fully licenced EFAW and FAW courses, as well as specialised training in paediatric first aid. If you can’t make it to our offices, we’re happy to come to you. Get in touch today for more first aid training course information.
