It is an employer’s responsibility to make arrangements to ensure that employees receive immediate first aid if they are hurt or become ill in the workplace. This means that they must provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities and trained staff to respond to accidents and emergencies. How much is adequate will depend on the size and activities of the company.
Minimum site requirements for first aid are that there must be a workplace first aid kit, as well as an appointed person that takes charge of any situations where first aid needs administering. It is important to note that first aid must be available at all times when people work – so care should be taken by businesses who operate shift working patterns.
All businesses must carry out a first aid risk assessment to determine their individual requirements and how much equipment and first aid personnel they require.
First aid risk assessment
As part of the company’s health and safety risk assessment, a first aid risk assessment should be carried out. Questions that can help you assess the amount of first aid equipment and first aid personnel required include the following:
- How many people work on site?
- Do members of the public visit your premises?
- Where is your workplace in relation to the nearest hospital?
- How spread out is your premises? Do you need first aid stations in different parts of the building?
- Do your employees travel as part of their job and/or work offsite?
- Are the activities carried out by your employees low, medium or high risk?
- Are employees working with: hazardous substances, dangerous tools, dangerous machinery, dangerous loads or animals?
- Do you employ inexperienced workers or workers with special needs? Your first aid equipment must cover the needs of everyone who works for you.
- Are there workers working at different times – e.g. shift workers? Who will administer first aid out of hours?
First aid kits
There is no compulsory list of first aid equipment that should be included in a company’s first aid kit. Instead it is important that the content reflect the findings of the risk assessment. Where no specific risks are present in a workplace, such as an office or shop, a minimum first aid kit contents would be the following:
- A first aid advice leaflet – so that whoever is first on the scene is able to administer first aid for a range of problems.
- 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings of assorted sizes
- Two sterile eye pads
- Four individually wrapped triangular bandages, preferably sterile
- Six safety pins
- Six medium-sized (approximately 12cm by 12cm) individually wrapped sterile medicated dressings
- Two large (approximately 18 cm x 18 cm) sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
- One pair of disposable gloves.
For your convenience we have put together kits containing the above and these can be bought for 1-10, 11-20 and 21-50 persons. For more employees than this, simply increase the number of kits. Refills can also be purchased, so that you don’t have to buy the outer casing again. Workplace first aid kits – click here to buy.
It is essential that all workers have adequate first aid supplies to hand at all times. This includes workers working off site, and those who spend significant amounts of time in their work vehicle. Vehicle first aid kits - click here to buy
Work environments where higher risk activities are being carried out will also need additional specialist first aid items including burn first aid kits and eye wash kits. Both of these are available to buy in our online shop.
First aid personnel
The number of appointed personnel and trained first aiders will depend on the size and activities of your company.
Other things you need to do
- You must display notices to inform staff who the appointed first aid personnel are at any given time.
- You must use first aid signs to show where first aid equipment and kits are located.
How we can help you
For more information on choosing the right products for your organisation, please contact us.
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