Does anyone know about first aid / health and safety law?
PassionFord Regular
Joined: May 2004
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From: Sandy. Bedfordshire
Legal Duty
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require your employer to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to their employees if they are injured or become ill at work.
The HSE guidance states there is no mandatory list of items that must be included in a first-aid container - the contents will depend upon the employers overall assessment of need.
The minimum requirements for first aid for any workplace are:
A suitably stocked first aid container
A person appointed to take charge of first aid arrangements
Information for all employees on first aid arrangements
HSE guidelines for a basic first-aid container are:
A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid (e.g. the HSE leaflet - Basic advice on first aid at work)
20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes) appropriate to the type of work
two sterile eye pads
Four individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
Six safety pins
Six medium sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings - approximately 12cm x 12cm
Two large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings - approximately 18cm x 18cm
One pair of disposable gloves
A 'first-aider' requires HSE approved first-aid training and to be in possession of a current certificate - which is valid for three years. An 'appointed person' is someone appointed by an employer to summon the emergency services when necessary and to maintain the first aid box. The HSE recommend as a minimum requirement for an appointed person a four-hour 'emergency training course' covering what to do in an:
emergency
for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
how to apply first aid for the unconscious casualty and the wounded or bleeding
How much provision?
Employers must determine their own first-aid needs. The HSE advise that this "depends on the circumstances in each workplace. No fixed level exists but each employer needs to assess what facilities and personnel are appropriate".
In general, the First Aid Regulations' requirements regarding the numbers of first-aiders and/or appointed persons are:
in lower-risk premises (offices, libraries, etc.), at least one first-aider for every 50-100 employees and one additional first-aider for every subsequent 100 employees. If fewer than 50 employees at least one appointed person
For medium-risk sectors (e.g. light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing), at least one first-aider for every 20 - 50 employees (below 20, one appointed person)
In higher-risk industries (e.g. heavy engineering, construction etc.) there must be at least one first-aider to every 5-50 people (below 5, one appointed person - unless "additional first aid skills are necessary" which will require a specifically trained first aider for every five of those employees affected)
The HSE guidance says that though assessments need not be recorded it is good practice to do so because employers may need to justify decisions about the level of provision and that the following factors should be considered when determining provision:
Workplace hazards and risks
The size of the organisation
The organisation's history of accidents
The nature and distribution of the workforce
The remoteness of the site from emergency medical services
The needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
Employees working on shared or multi-occupied sites
Annual leave and other absences of first aiders
The law does not oblige employers to provide first-aid for anyone than their own employees but the HSE recommend that where "undertakings provide a service for others employers may wish to make provision for them" after checking their public liability insurance policy.
The HSE guidance states that "employers should review their first-aid needs from time to time, particularly after any operating changes, to ensure that the provision remains appropriate"
Record Keeping
The HSE recommend that it is "good practice for employers to provide first aiders with a book in which to record incidents which require their attendance". Such a book should record the following information:
Date, time and place of incident
Name and job of the injured or ill person
Details of the injury/illness and what first aid was administered
What happened to the person immediately afterwards (i.e. went home, returned to work, went to hospital etc.)
Name and signature of the first aider/appointed person
This information can help an employer "identify accident trends and possible areas for improvement in the control of health and safety risks" and as data for "future first-aid needs assessments".
A first-aid room will normally be required in high-risk industries and it should contain essential first-aid equipment and facilities and be easily accessible to stretchers and clearly sign-posted and identifiable. A "designated person" should have responsibility for the room.
Information for employees
Employers must provide information to employees about the provision of first-aid, location of equipment, facilities and personnel. This should take into account those with language or reading difficulties. This information should be included in any induction programme for new employees and advertised in each workplace, giving locations of facilities and equipment, and names and locations of first-aiders.
TSSA Reps
Safety reps should always be consulted over first aid arrangements - they have legal rights to be consulted on the number of first-aiders and appointed persons, the level of risk and hazards at the workplace, and the requirements for first aid training.
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require your employer to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to their employees if they are injured or become ill at work.
The HSE guidance states there is no mandatory list of items that must be included in a first-aid container - the contents will depend upon the employers overall assessment of need.
The minimum requirements for first aid for any workplace are:
A suitably stocked first aid container
A person appointed to take charge of first aid arrangements
Information for all employees on first aid arrangements
HSE guidelines for a basic first-aid container are:
A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid (e.g. the HSE leaflet - Basic advice on first aid at work)
20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes) appropriate to the type of work
two sterile eye pads
Four individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
Six safety pins
Six medium sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings - approximately 12cm x 12cm
Two large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings - approximately 18cm x 18cm
One pair of disposable gloves
A 'first-aider' requires HSE approved first-aid training and to be in possession of a current certificate - which is valid for three years. An 'appointed person' is someone appointed by an employer to summon the emergency services when necessary and to maintain the first aid box. The HSE recommend as a minimum requirement for an appointed person a four-hour 'emergency training course' covering what to do in an:
emergency
for cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
how to apply first aid for the unconscious casualty and the wounded or bleeding
How much provision?
Employers must determine their own first-aid needs. The HSE advise that this "depends on the circumstances in each workplace. No fixed level exists but each employer needs to assess what facilities and personnel are appropriate".
In general, the First Aid Regulations' requirements regarding the numbers of first-aiders and/or appointed persons are:
in lower-risk premises (offices, libraries, etc.), at least one first-aider for every 50-100 employees and one additional first-aider for every subsequent 100 employees. If fewer than 50 employees at least one appointed person
For medium-risk sectors (e.g. light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing), at least one first-aider for every 20 - 50 employees (below 20, one appointed person)
In higher-risk industries (e.g. heavy engineering, construction etc.) there must be at least one first-aider to every 5-50 people (below 5, one appointed person - unless "additional first aid skills are necessary" which will require a specifically trained first aider for every five of those employees affected)
The HSE guidance says that though assessments need not be recorded it is good practice to do so because employers may need to justify decisions about the level of provision and that the following factors should be considered when determining provision:
Workplace hazards and risks
The size of the organisation
The organisation's history of accidents
The nature and distribution of the workforce
The remoteness of the site from emergency medical services
The needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
Employees working on shared or multi-occupied sites
Annual leave and other absences of first aiders
The law does not oblige employers to provide first-aid for anyone than their own employees but the HSE recommend that where "undertakings provide a service for others employers may wish to make provision for them" after checking their public liability insurance policy.
The HSE guidance states that "employers should review their first-aid needs from time to time, particularly after any operating changes, to ensure that the provision remains appropriate"
Record Keeping
The HSE recommend that it is "good practice for employers to provide first aiders with a book in which to record incidents which require their attendance". Such a book should record the following information:
Date, time and place of incident
Name and job of the injured or ill person
Details of the injury/illness and what first aid was administered
What happened to the person immediately afterwards (i.e. went home, returned to work, went to hospital etc.)
Name and signature of the first aider/appointed person
This information can help an employer "identify accident trends and possible areas for improvement in the control of health and safety risks" and as data for "future first-aid needs assessments".
A first-aid room will normally be required in high-risk industries and it should contain essential first-aid equipment and facilities and be easily accessible to stretchers and clearly sign-posted and identifiable. A "designated person" should have responsibility for the room.
Information for employees
Employers must provide information to employees about the provision of first-aid, location of equipment, facilities and personnel. This should take into account those with language or reading difficulties. This information should be included in any induction programme for new employees and advertised in each workplace, giving locations of facilities and equipment, and names and locations of first-aiders.
TSSA Reps
Safety reps should always be consulted over first aid arrangements - they have legal rights to be consulted on the number of first-aiders and appointed persons, the level of risk and hazards at the workplace, and the requirements for first aid training.
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PassionFord Post Whore!!
Joined: May 2003
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From: Sheffield
theres less that 50 people here though so technically he's an appointed person.. hmmmmm LOL think i'll put my name forward for a first aider's course...cheers for the info
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From: Berkshire
Originally Posted by SapphyMike
theres less that 50 people here though so technically he's an appointed person.. hmmmmm LOL think i'll put my name forward for a first aider's course...cheers for the info
I've found that life I needed.. It's HERE!!
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Sapphy
The appointed person DOES NOT have to have a first aid certificate unless there are more than 20 Employees however the appointed person will take charge in a situation to contact the appropiate services etc and ensure that the box is topped up at all times
Second point on H&S posters it is best practice to have them displ;ayed in the workplace or at least ensure that you know where to find them if you need to
Certificate of liability insurance no longer HAS to be displayed but must be available upon request by employees and customers etc
Now go do some work
Nige sat on laptop in garden with beer off too Amsterdam on Friday mmmmm
The appointed person DOES NOT have to have a first aid certificate unless there are more than 20 Employees however the appointed person will take charge in a situation to contact the appropiate services etc and ensure that the box is topped up at all times
Second point on H&S posters it is best practice to have them displ;ayed in the workplace or at least ensure that you know where to find them if you need to
Certificate of liability insurance no longer HAS to be displayed but must be available upon request by employees and customers etc
Now go do some work
Nige sat on laptop in garden with beer off too Amsterdam on Friday mmmmm
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