First Aid - Employers Duties

The following extracts have been adapted from the Health and Safety Executives Website, and do not constitue the full guidelines.

Employers Duties

Legal Duties

People at work can suffer injuries or fall ill. It doesn't matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. First aid at work covers the arrangements you must make to ensure this happens. It can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones.

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or fewer employees and to the self-employed. Detailed information can be found in the Approved Code of Practice and Guidance: First aid at work. The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 L74.

What is adequate will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first aiders are needed, what should be included in a first aid box and if a first aid room is needed. Employers should carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine this.

The Regulations do not place a legal obligation on employers to make first aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in a first aid needs assessment and that provision is made for them.

The minimum first-aid provision on any work site is:

  • A suitably stocked first-aid box
  • An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements

It is also important to remember that accidents can happen at any time. First-aid provision needs to be available at all times people are at work.

 

What is an Appointed Person?

An appointed person is someone you choose to:

  • Take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required.
  • Look after the first-aid equipment, eg restocking the first-aid box.

Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained, though short emergency first-aid training courses are available. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site - this may mean appointing more than one.

 

What is a First Aider?

A first aider is someone who has undergone a training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate. Training organisations running first aid at work courses should be approved by HSE*.  You may decide, following your first-aid assessment, that you need one or more first aiders. A first aider can undertake the duties of an appointed person.

*Back to Life have full HSE approval for all our First Aid Courses.

 

How Many First Aiders or Appointed Persons do I Need?

It is not possible to give hard and fast rules on when or how many first aiders or appointed persons might be needed. This will depend on the circumstances of each particular organisation or worksite.

 

Category of Risk

Numbers Employed at any Location

Suggested Number of First Aid Personnel

Lower Risk

eg shops and offices, libraries

Fewer than 50

50-100

More than 100

At least one appointed person

At least one First Aider

One additional first aider for every 100 employed

Medium Risk

eg light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing

Fewer than 20

20-100

More than 100

At least one appointed person

At least one first aider for every 50 employed (or part thereof)

One additional first aider for every 100 employed

Higher Risk

eg most construction, slaughterhouses, chemical manufacture, extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments

Fewer than 5

5-50

More than 50

At least one appointed person

At least one first aider

One additional first aider for every 50 employed

 

The above table offers suggestions on how many first aiders or appointed persons might be needed in relation to categories of risk and number of employees. The details in this table are suggestions only - they are not definitive nor are they a legal requirement.  It is for you to assess your first-aid needs in the light of your particular circumstances.

 

Assessment of First Aid Needs

Employers are required to carry out an assessment of first aid needs. This involves consideration of workplace hazards and risks, the size of the organisation and other relevant factors, to determine what first aid equipment, facilities and personnel should be provided.

Many small firms will only need to make the minimum first-aid provision. However, there are factors which might make greater provision necessary. The checklist inthe below table covers the points you should consider.

 

Aspects to Consider         

Impact on First Aid Provision
1. You are required by law to make an assessment of significant risks in your workplace. What are the risks of injury and
ill health identified in this risk assessment?		 If the risks are significant you may
need to employ first aiders.
2. Are there any specific risks,eg working with:

 

i. Hazardous substances

ii. Dangerous tools

iii. Dangerous machinery

iv. Dangerous loads or animals?

 You will need to consider:

 

i. Specific training for first aiders

ii. Extra first-aid equipment

iii. Precise siting of first-aid equipment.
3. Are there parts of your establishment where different levels of risk can be identified (eg in a University with research laboratories)? You will probably need to make different levels of provision for different parts of the establishment.   
4. What is your record of accidents and cases of ill health? What type are they and where did they happen? You may need to:

 

i. locate your provision in certain areas

ii. review the contents of the first-aid box.
5. How many people are employed
on site?		 You may need to employ first aiders.
6. Are there inexperienced workers on site, or employees with disabilities or special health problems? You will need to consider:

 

i. Special equipment

ii. Local siting of equipment.
7. Are the premises spread out,
eg are there several buildings on the site or multi-floor buildings?

 

 

 You will need to consider provision in each building or on several floors.
8. Is there shiftwork or out-of-hours working? Remember that there needs to be first-aid provision at all times people are at work.
9. Is your workplace remote from
emergency medical services?		 You will need to:

 

i. Inform local medical services of your location

ii. Consider special arrangements with the emergency services.
10. Do you have employees who travel a lot or work alone? You will need to:

 

i. Consider issuing personal first-aid kits and staff in their use; 
ii. Consider issuing personal communicators to employees
11. Do any of your employees work at sites occupied by other employers? You will need to make arrangements with the other site occupiers.
12. Do you have any work experience trainees? Your first-aid provision must cover
them.
13. Do members of the public visit your premises? You have no legal responsibilities for non-employees, but HSE stronglyrecommends you include them in your first-aid provision.

 

To review the full guidelines for First Aid at Work, please visit the Health and Safety Executives website on www.hse.gov.uk

To speak to one of the Back to Life team directly concerning your training requirements, please do not hesitate to Contact Us.