Safety First Aid, Inverness Health & Safety in the Highlands of Scotland

The Law

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 came into effect in July 1982 and apply to all persons at work in the UK. The Regulations do not apply to non-employees however most employers recognise that First Aiders have a ‘duty of care’ and so will be obligated to treat fellow employees and visitors, contractors, guests, etc. alike.

The Regulations require the provision of equipment and facilities that are 'adequate and appropriate in the circumstances' suggesting a need for employer interpretation based on the potential for accident and injury on the premises. Several factors will determine the extent of the need for first aid provision, including:

	The number of employees normally at work on the premises;
	The nature of the hazards present, and the potential for serious injury from the activities typically carried out within the establishment;
	The extent and geographical layout of the buildings on the site;
	The proximity to the premises of local hospital accident and emergency facilities;
	Past experience of injuries and first aid needs.

The Approved Code of Practice produced with the Health & Safety (First Aid) Regulations was revised in 1997 and sets out in detail what level of first aid provision is necessary. Basically, a minimum of one qualified First Aider for every 50 employees is required unless the risks of serious injury are great, in which case the ratio may need to be increased to ensure that there is adequate cover. Premises where machines, power tools or hazardous chemical substances are used will therefore need a greater level of provision than lower risk establishments such as offices or schools.

Any provision of staff trained in first aid should take into account foreseeable absences from duty so that the standard of first aid cover can be maintained during alternating shift patterns, staff holidays, sickness, etc. It is never possible to cover every eventuality, but reasonable efforts must be made to comply with the standards laid down by the Code of Practice.

In smaller establishments where there are fewer than 50 employees and where the risks of serious injury are relatively low, there is no specific requirement to have a qualified First Aider and an Appointed Person may suffice, although the decision not to have a fully qualified First Aider would have to be justified if an employee was injured.

The role and aims of a First Aider

First Aiders and Appointed Persons

The role of a First Aider is to offer assistance to anyone injured or suddenly taken ill before expert help from a doctor, nurse or emergency services arrives.

The aims of the First Aider are threefold:

	Save life by prompt and initial action
	Prevent the injury from becoming worse;
	Promote recovery through monitoring of the casualty, reassurance and protection from further danger.

It therefore follows that first aid equipment and materials must be simple and capable of being used by anyone without risk of exacerbating any injuries or causing the condition of an injured person to deteriorate.

A 'First Aider' is a person who has been appropriately trained and holds a current certificate in First Aid at Work issued by an organisation approved by the Health & Safety Executive for this purpose.

First Aid Certificates last for 3 years, and in order to remain qualified, the holder must take a refresher course before the certificate expires. (As of October 2009, a First Aider will require annual refresher training).

An 'Appointed Person' is a person designated as responsible for taking charge of the situation (e.g. to call emergency services) if a serious injury or case of major illness occurs in the absence of a First Aider.

The Appointed Person can also render emergency aid if called upon to do so and is responsible for first aid equipment in the situation where there is no First Aider on the premises.

Appointed Person / Emergency First Aid certificates are also valid for 3 years however, due to the reduced training hours required to gain this certificate, ‘Security And Safety’ recommend that candidates refresh their training annually.

The table below, compiled using information from the Health & Safety Executive, gives an indication of the number of First Aiders required in the work place;

Risk Category	No of Employees	No of First Aiders
Lower Risk e.g shops / offices	Fewer than 50	At least 1 Appointed Person
	50 - 100	At least 1 First Aider
	More than 100	1 additional First Aider for every 100 employed

Medium Risk e.g. food processing, light engineering, warehouse storage, assembly work	Fewer than 20	At least 1 Appointed Person
	20 – 100	At least 1 First Aider for every 50 employed (or part thereof)
	More than 100	1 additional First Aider for every 100 employed

High Risk e.g. construction work, work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments, working at heights, slaughter houses, chemical manufacturers	Fewer than 5	At least 1 Appointed Person
	5 – 50	At least 1 First Aider
	More than 50	1 additional First Aider for every 50 employed

The number given in this table are the minimum requirements. Each employer must then add First Aiders to take account of the following;

	Foreseeable absences – Cover should remain adequate even when First Aiders are absent e.g. annual leave, department / office transfers, long term sickness, etc.
	Shift Work – Every shift should be adequately covered.
	Large Sites - First Aiders should be in close proximity to all areas.
	Isolated Work Locations – Cover should be provided as necessary

What makes a good First Aider?

Employees selected to become First Aiders should, first and foremost, be volunteers. No pressure should be brought to bear upon anyone to ‘volunteer’ their services as first aid situations can be stressful and pressurised.

First Aiders need to be people who are reliable, level headed, and who will remain calm in an emergency. It is also preferable for them to be persons who are generally available in the workplace and therefore able to attend to the needs of an injured person.

Making a ‘casual’ employee your main First Aider is therefore obviously not ideal.

Security And Safety

‘Security And Safety’ is a training company providing Health & Safety Executive approved courses such as the H.S.E. Standard First Aid at Work certificate, the Refresher First Aid at Work certificate and the Appointed Person / Emergency First Aid certificate. Nationally recognised qualifications such as Sport Specific First Aid and Paediatric First Aid compliment certificated courses such as Baby & Child First Aid and our range of Personal Safety and Self Defence workshops.

Our instructors will vary the delivery of each course syllabus between lecture sessions, practical sessions involving the whole group, demonstrations and visual aids.

The emphasis on our training is that these are your courses not our courses so candidates are encouraged to ask questions and ask for any information to be repeated throughout the lessons.

Likewise, if you feel your candidates need specific training for the job they do, for example working in exposed outdoor conditions, working with dangerous machinery, working at heights, etc., we will be more than happy to tailor a course to your needs.

Candidates showing a good practical ability in carrying out resuscitation skills, treating an unconscious casualty and applying dressings / bandages will be awarded a certificate of competence.