The Importance of First Aid In the Workplace
Its never easy to predict when a person may need emergency first aid help following an injury or sudden ill health event such as a heart attack. There are always reports in the media about terror incidents, drowning incidents, sport incidents etc. where people needed first aid assistance while waiting for the emergency services to arrive.
In the workplace too, we can never predict when first aid may be needed for a workplace injury, ill health or to support with mental health issues so it’s important that employers are aware of their responsibilities.
Legal Framework
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure that workers receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. These regulations apply to all workplaces, including those with fewer than five employees and to the self-employed.
Core Requirements
Assessment of First-Aid Needs - Employers must conduct an assessment to determine what first-aid equipment, facilities and personnel should be provided. This assessment should consider workplace hazards, risks, the size of the organisation, and other relevant factors.
Equipment and Facilities - What constitutes "adequate and appropriate" provision depends on your workplace circumstances, including:
- Whether trained first-aiders are needed
- What should be included in first-aid boxes (First aid kits should ideally meet British Standard (BS) 8599)
- Whether a first-aid room is required
Personnel - Based on your assessment, you may need to provide trained first-aiders or appointed persons to take charge of first-aid arrangements.
While not legally required, HSE strongly recommends including non-employees (visitors, contractors, public) in your first-aid assessment and making provision for them.
First Aiders
The role of a first aider is to make the initial assessment of an injury or illness and deliver appropriate first aid to the injured or ill person until emergency help arrives.
A first-aider is someone who has done training appropriate to the level identified in the needs assessment. This may be: first aid at work (FAW); or emergency first aid at work (EFAW); or some other first-aid training appropriate to the circumstances of your workplace.
Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW): enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work First Aid
First Aid at Work (FAW): includes the same content as EFAW and equips the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illness. First-aider responsibilities include:
-Assess injuries and illnesses
-Provide appropriate first aid treatment
-Maintain first-aid skills through annual refresher training (strongly recommended)
-Take charge of emergency situations
-Provide treatment until professional medical help arrive.
Appointed Person
Where an employer’s assessment of first-aid needs identifies that a designated first-aider is not required, the minimum requirement for an employer is to appoint a person to take charge of the first-aid arrangements.
An appointed person does not need first-aid training however, they may benefit from training such as completing at least an emergency first aid at work course. Appointed person responsibilities include:
-Maintain and stock first-aid equipment
-Call emergency services when required
-Keep records of first aid incidents
-Take charge in emergency situations
-Provide emergency cover when a first-aider is absent due to unforeseen circumstances
Appointed persons are not fully trained first aiders. They should not directly take care of the casualties unless they are certified to handle the situation. An appointed person is not expected to administer first aid and does not need to complete training.
Self-Employed Workers
If you're self-employed, you must provide adequate first-aid equipment for yourself. For low-hazard work like clerical tasks at home, normal domestic provision may suffice. For higher-risk activities or travelling, you may need personal first-aid kits.
Mental Health First Aiders
Although not legally mandated under the First Aid Regulations, many employers are voluntarily implementing mental health first aid provision because:
-It aligns with general health and safety duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
-It supports overall workplace wellbeing
-It may become legally required in the future
-Employers need to treat mental health in a similar way to physical health
Enforcement
HSE will prosecute in cases where there is a significant risk, a disregard for established standards or persistent poor compliance with the law.
Conclusion
Training first aiders clearly benefits workplace safety standards as well as the greater society. For specific guidance on conducting your first aid need assessment, HSE provides a free leaflet called "First aid at work: your questions answered" which includes a useful checklist of points to consider. In addition, the Arinite Factsheet 150 First Aid at Work also provides information on the legal requirements including your first aid needs assessment.
Contact us
Arinite clients worldwide appreciate we provide practical, no-nonsense advice about what you need to do to establish and maintain a safe and healthy working environment.
Our team of Global, Locally Based, Health and Safety Consultants take pride in keeping health and safety simple.
If you need to call upon our expert assistance, or just for an informal chat, please call our office +44 207 947 9581, or type an enquiry to: https://www.arinite.co.uk/contact-us/.
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