Accidents happen, even in the workplace, so minimising that risk and complying with the 1981 Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations. 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.

First aid at work training will ensure your staff are able to deal with accidents like burns or scalding, dressing wounds and CPR and basic life support techniques.

On passing this course, candidates will receive full certification approved by the Health and Safety Executive. This will mean they are fully complaint with the Health and Safety (First Aid) regulations for three years.

Benefits to you :-

* Cope better with both minor and major workplace accidents.
* Have a safer office or workplace.
* Comply with the Health & Safety at Work Act.
* Compliance with First Aid regulations.
* Ensure that workable procedures are put in place.

First aid training aims to teach the lay person techniques that will preserve life and help prevent a casualty's injury or illness becoming worse, until professional medical attention is available.

We are able to offer a full range of first aid training courses, which can be run at the client's venue, and regularly run open courses for individuals.
 

The Health and Safety (first aid) Regulations require you to provide 'adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to your employees if they are injured or become ill at work'. What is considered adequate will depend on the circumstances of each organisation and the results of your first aid risk assessment. First aid personnel should be available at all times when people are at work and the numbers based on assessments of risk and number of employees. Factors such as remoteness from emergency services, shift work patterns and the type of work all have to be considered. You must also take into account holidays and sickness so an increased provision may be necessary to cover for absence.

Legal Requirements

Employers are required by law to make an assessment of the work place. The table below, compiled using information from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), gives an indication of the number of First Aiders required in the work place

The numbers in the table are the minimum requirements. You will need extra First Aiders to take account of the following

Inexperienced workers or employees with disabilities or particular health problems

* Employees who travel a lot, work remotely or work alone
* Employees who work shifts or out of hours
* Premises spreading out across buildings or floors
* Workplace remote from emergency medical services
* Employees working at sites occupied by other employers
* Planned and unplanned absences of first aiders/appointed persons
* Members of the public who visit the workplace

(Published by the Health and Safety Executive)
 

If you decide you don't need a first-aider in your workplace, you should appoint someone to take charge of first-aid arrangements. The role of this appointed person includes looking after first-aid equipment and facilities and calling the emergency services when required. They can also provide emergency cover where a first-aider is absent due to unforeseen circumstances (annual leave does not count). Appointed persons do not need first-aid training, though emergency first-aid courses are available.

Even if you decide first-aiders are unnecessary, there is still the possibility of an accident or illness, so you may wish to consider providing qualified first-aiders. Appointed persons are not necessary where there is an adequate number of first-aiders.
 

A first-aider is someone who has undertaken training and has a qualification that HSE approves. This means that they must hold a valid certificate of competence in either:

* first aid at work (FAW), issued by a training organisation approved by HSE; or
* emergency first aid at work (EFAW), issued by a training organisation approved by HSE or a recognised Awarding Body of Ofqual/Scottish Qualifications Authority.

Use the findings of your first-aid needs assessment  to decide whether first-aiders should be trained in FAW or EFAW. EFAW training enables a first-aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work. FAW training includes EFAW and also equips the first-aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illness

(Published by the Health and Safety Executive INDG214(rev1)
 

The specific contents of your first aid box would depend on the results of your workplace first aid needs assessment as depending on the injury risks identified in your work environment as additional items may be needed. However, the HSE does give guidance as to the minimum stock requirements of first aid kits where there are no special risks in the workplace. These recommendations are set out in the table below, if no running water is available in an eyewash station is also required

As a guide, where work activities involve low hazards, a minimum stock of first-aid items might be:

* a leaflet giving general guidance on first aid
* 20 individually wrapped sterile plasters (assorted sizes), appropriate to the type of work (you can provide hypoallergenic plasters, if necessary);
* two sterile eye pads;
* four individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile;
* six safety pins;
* two large, individually wrapped, sterile, unmedicated wound dressings;
* six medium-sized, individually wrapped, sterile, unmedicated wound dressings;
* a pair of disposable gloves 

This is a suggested contents list only.
It is recommended that you don’t keep tablets and medicines in the first-aid box.