First Aid has been very much a recurring topic over lockdown as finding training courses has been difficult. You might have some staff who are wary of being a First Aider in the present climate. Equally, the HSE relaxed its position about what was required to accommodate for this during the COVID-19 pandemic.
So, what exactly are you required to provide for your staff?
Firstly, the HSE’s relaxation of guidance for First Aid has now ceased. The HSE expects that training courses are now widely available and so if qualifications have expired, there is no longer a grace period. This means that companies and organisations must have some form of first aid provision at all times during working hours.
The First Aid requirement under the First Aid at Work Regulations is that a company must have a minimum of an ‘appointed person’. This is someone that will take charge in an emergency situation, call the emergency services and make sure that the first aid box is kept stocked. This is only really appropriate for very small organisations with low-risk activities, such as an office with 4 or 5 employees.
For most other companies, the first aid requirements are determined by risk assessment. The HSE provides a recommendation to assist in these situations:
| Degree of Hazard Associated with Activities? | How Many Employees? | What Do You Need? |
| Low-hazard, e.g. offices, shops,
Libraries, schools |
Fewer than 25 | At least one appointed person |
| 25 – 50 | At least one first-aider trained in EFAW | |
| More than 50 | At least one first-aider trained in FAW for every 100 employed (or part thereof) | |
| Higher-hazard, e.g. light
engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing, extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments, construction, chemical manufacture |
Fewer than 25 | At least one appointed person |
| 25 – 50 | At least one first-aider trained in EFAW or FAW depending on the type of injuries that might occur | |
| More than 50 | At least one first-aider trained in FAW for every 50 employed (or part thereof) |
The above table is merely guidance. If your organisation has multiple buildings, for example, then you should have first aid provision in each building. This would mean that you have more First Aiders than the guidance. There are also situations where additional first aid might be dictated by another organisation, such as the DfE mandating Paediatric First Aid in EYFS settings. You also need to train some spare capacity so that there’s cover for absence.
In terms of training, there are two commonly recognised courses: Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) and First Aid at Work (FAW).
EFAW is a 1-day course and FAW is a 3-day course. Both courses can be done remotely, however the HSE recommends that some element of face to face training is provided for the practical elements. If you couldn’t complete training during the pandemic, then this can be restarted so long as there is a full recap of training provided before the interruption.
Finally, employers have a duty to provide first aid resources. This is typically in the form of a first aid kit. The contents should be appropriate for your work activity.
For most organisations, a standard first aid kit will suffice. For those with more specific hazards, you may wish to stock first aid kits with items that will specifically treat those hazards. For example, if there’s a risk of exposure to high temperatures, you may wish to provide burns kits and gels rather than fabric plasters. Equally if there’s a risk of items getting into the eye, you might wish to provide additional supplies of eye wash. The number of kits required will depend on the size of your workplace, the number of buildings, and the number of persons on site. Typically, the following recommendation will apply:
| Degree of Hazard Associated with Activities? | How Many Employees? | What Do You Need? |
| Low-hazard, e.g. offices, shops,
Libraries, schools |
Less than 25 employees | Small size kit |
| 25-100 employees | Medium size kit | |
| More than 100 employees | 1 large kit per 100 employees | |
| Higher-hazard, e.g. light
engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing, extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments, construction, chemical manufacture |
Less than 5 employees | Small size kit |
| 5 – 25 employees | Medium size kit | |
| More than 25 employees | 1 large kit per 25 employees |
The world of first aid, sadly, is not a black and white one. Each workplace is different and your needs will vary. If you do need further advice please do not hesitate to contact us.
By Aaron Moxam – Risk Services Assistant