As an absolute minimum, all workplaces needs to have a first aid box, or a first aider, which is what makes our
first aid at work courses so popular.
Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, all employers much provide adequate and appropriate equipment to ensure that employees are able to receive immediate attention if they are injured at work. This law applies to everyone in all workplaces, even the self employed, however what is considered to be adequate and appropriate will depend on the industry and the workplace.
Low risk workplaces, like offices may not require a qualified first aider, but it will need a first aid box. It is the employers responsibility to ensure that all first aid needs are met within their organisation. There is no responsibility on providing first aid for non-employees such as the public, but the Health and Safety Executive recommends that they are still included in a risk assessment and provision is made for them.
If you believe your workplace requires a first aider, then it can be difficult to decide who to nominate. After all, how are you able to test who would be best qualified to deal with an emergency? There are several factors you should consider before choosing the first aider for your organisation.
First of all, you should ensure they possess the skill to absorb knowledge and skills. Depending on the industry you work within, there are various injuries which they may have to deal with before calling emergency services. Your first aider should be able to retain the knowledge to deal with almost any situation.
Perhaps most importantly, a potential first aider should be able to cope with stressful situations. If someone is injured, then you need to act quickly and remain calm. Any panic may mean that the injured party panics which isn't good for an injured person. Finally, you should also consider the job role of your first aider. Are they in a role they can quickly leave if required? If not, you may need to consider someone else for the role.
The First Aid at Work course is run over three days and involves at least eighteen hours of workplace training. The course teaches delegates how to deal with a first aid incident, as well as how to resuscitate and control bleeding.
You would always hope that no accidents will occur within your workplace, but unfortunately, accidents do happen and the First Aid at Work course will help your delegates to manage any incident effectively.