First Aid at work is essential to any business as employers are responsible for the health and safety of their staff and any visitors to their premises. We all want to avoid any unnecessary accidents and injuries in our workplace, but do we have the right measurements in place to minimise the risk and eliminate hazards? If you are unsure, we have got you covered in this blog article, as we provide you with a guide to first aid at work. So, get ready to take note of our tips and advice to improve first aid at your business.
Your Responsibilities as an Employer
In the workplace, employers are responsible for everyone in their building. Employers have a legal duty to ensure that their company has a sufficient number of personnel that are first aid trained, this number will vary on the amount of staff that are employed at the business. First aiders are needed in the workplace so they can act in the first instance of injuries to both staff and the general public on your premises.
Risk assessments have to be completed by employers as a legal requirement so they can determine the adequate and appropriate level of the first provision which will be required at their business. When this has been identified it is then the employers’ responsibility to communicate this with their staff, so they are aware of the first equipment that is available, what facilities they have for first aid and so they know who is first aid trained at the company. Although employers are responsible for the safety of non-staff when they are on their premises, employers have no legal responsibility to factor in visitors that do not work for the company in risk assessments. However, the HSE recommends that you include everyone that may visit your business as this could save a life and prevent unnecessary accidents.
Legislation and Assessments
Depending on the type of business you work for there is more legislation that you may have to follow, particularly if your environment is high risk where you will have more demanding and specific legislation to follow. People in high-risk environments should ensure that they have read through their specific legislation but in general, there is legislation which applies to everyone, this includes:
- The Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999
- RIDDOR (Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013)
- The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981
As an employer, you need to follow the relevant legislation to your type of business. In the workplace you are required to provide adequate and appropriate provisions for first aid, however, this is mostly left to employers to recognise what is adequate and appropriate for their company. To help you to identify the right provisions for your workplace, you should carry out a first aid needs assessment. To do this it is recommended by the HSE that you consider several factors:
- The type of work that is carried out at your business
- The specific workplace associated hazards and risks
- The size of your workforce
- The shift patterns you operate with
- Absences and holidays of your recognised first aiders
- The history of accidents and injuries at your company
Other factors you may also need to consider:
- First aid provisions for non-employees
- The remoteness of your locations to medical services
First Aid Provisions
As a bare minimum requirement, every workplace in the UK should have a first aid box. After completing your first aid needs assessment you may realise that you need additional or more specific first aid equipment to store in your first aid box or inside your dedicated first aid room/facilities. If you do not have clean, running tap water available on-site, you will be required to keep at least 1 litre of sterile water or sterile normal saline in your first aid box. Your first aid box should contain a leaflet giving general advice on administering first aid, individually wrapped sterile plasters, bandages and wound dressings in assorted sizes along with disposable gloves for first aiders to wear when aiding injuries.
Along with your first aid box, your first aid needs assessment may suggest that you require a dedicated first aid room. First aiders will be responsible for ensuring that your room is kept clean and ready for the moment of dealing with any accidents or injuries. It is recommended by the HSE that your first aid room contains an accident book so you can keep a record of any injuries that have occurred on-site. This way the accidents can be investigated, and you can put the right safety measurements in place to minimise the risk and lower the likeliness of repeat incidents.
First Aid Personnel
There are two types of personnel when it comes to first aid at work, with appointed persons and first aiders present in workplaces. As a minimum, every business should have a first aid appointed person. The role of an appointed person is to act as a point of contact for emergency services. They are often also responsible for maintaining and ensuring that you are stocked up with the correct first aid supplies. You do not need to be first aid trained to be an appointed person, however, you will not be able to perform first aid.
First aiders will be recognised by their training qualifications. Businesses do not require a specific number of first aiders by law, but when completing your first aid needs assessment you should determine how many are necessary. All first aiders will hold a valid certificate in either first aid at work, emergency first aid at work or other first aid training which is appropriate to the type of work which is completed at their workplace. First aid training certificates are valid for around three years, but it is recommended that recognised first aiders take refresher courses annually.
First Aid Training
During this day and age employers have a lot more choice when it comes to first aid training providers, as more companies are now offering courses that meet the HSE criteria and the principles of assessment for first aid qualifications. For first aid training, there are usually the options of two types of training which are First Aid at Work (FAW) and Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW). In some situations, employers will recognise a requirement for other training outside of these two qualifications, if they work in a high-risk business or have employees that suffer from specific medical issues. This will all be identified after completing your first aid needs assessment so you can ensure that you provide the right first aid for your employees.
Follow this guide when considering first aid at your workplace to ensure that you have got the right measures in place to meet your requirements. If you need to stock up on medical supplies, browse our great range today to find everything you need from couch rolls to 10-inch wiper rolls.
