Do I need a qualified first aider in my workplace?

YES! Employers have a duty to provide first-aid equipment at all places of work where working conditions require it. Depending on the size or specific hazards (or both) of the place of work, trained occupational first-aiders must also be provided.

There are specific requirements made under the Chapter 2 of Part 7 of the General Application Regulations 2007

Since the 1st June 2018, the HSA only recognises the Pre-Hospital Emergency Care Council (PHECC) First Aid Response (FAR) training standard as meeting the needs of first aid in workplaces. 

A risk assessment in the context of the Safety Statement should consider the numbers employed, the nature of the work, the degree of hazard, the level of accidents arising, the size and location of the workplace, the distribution of the employees, shift working, availability of an occupational health service with the workplace and the distance and duration from external medical services etc.

What happens if the company First Aider is on annual leave/sick leave?                                                             

Foreseeable absences such as planned annual leave are not considered “temporary or exceptional circumstances” In these situations the employer must ensure that there is an adequate number of trained occupational first aiders to cover the foreseeable absences or leave, if the need for an occupational first aider in the workplace has been identified.

If the occupational first aider is absent in temporary or exceptional circumstances, the employer may designate a person, to take charge of an injured or ill person until medical assistance is obtained. Such person’s functions, if they have not received training in basic life saving skills, would, primarily be to seek appropriate assistance as soon as possible and to ensure that nothing further is allowed to occur which would exacerbate the problems of the injured person.

MAKE THE CALL! BE PREPARED! BE COMPLIANT!

Arrange your employees to receive FAR First Aid Training by EriCare Training Solutions.