Health & Safety Regulations

If you are an employer or employee the HSE First Aid Regulations apply to you.

People at work can suffer injuries or fall ill. It doesn't matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. First aid at work covers the arrangements you must make to ensure this happens. 

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 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. This is a legal requirement. 

In March 1997 a new Approved Code of Practice for First Aid came into effect. We would recommend that anyone involved with the provision of first aid at work obtain a copy of the Approved Code of Practice (ISBN 0-7176-1050-0) from your bookseller. We have summarised the code below.

• For the Self Employed
  Section 5 of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, states that 'A self employed person shall provide, or ensure that there is provided, such equipment, if any is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances to enable him to render first-aid to himself while he is at work.'
  
  
• For Employers
  The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulation 1981 states "An employer shall provide, or ensure that there are provided, such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be rendered to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work."

First Aid Provision
As an employer you will need to provide at least: 

1. An Appointed Person(s) to take charge of first-aid arrangements and First Aider(s)
2. A suitably stocked first-aid box

The number of Appointed persons and first aiders required for a number of people in a work environment has not been fixed by the HSE nor has the content of the first aid kits. However, the employer must carry out a Risk Assessment of the work place that will identify: the number of Appointed persons and first aiders required, and give a guide on the contents of the first aid kit.

In your organisation and work place suitable appointed persons and first aiders will need to be appointed.

What Is An Appointed Person?: 
An appointed person is someone you choose to:

1. Take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required;
2. Look after the first-aid equipment, eg Restocking the first-aid box & checking the dates on the dressings in the box.

Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained, though short emergency first-aid training courses are available. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site, this may mean appointing more than one. 

What Is A First Aider?:
A first aider is someone who has undergone a training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate. This person will be suitably qualified to administer First Aid if called on to do so. The training has to have been approved by HSE. Lists of local training organisations that provide HSE approved training courses are available from HSE Offices. 

A first aider can undertake the duties of an appointed person but an appointed person cannot undertake the duties of a first aider unless he or she has passed an approved course.