CART Do You Legally Have to Have a First Aider at Work?
Do You Legally Have to Have a First Aider at Work?
Ensuring your staff are safe in the workplace is a legal requirement, but do you need a qualified first aider? This article will examine the recommendations for the number of first aiders required in the workplace and provide guidance on where to obtain first aid training for your employees.
Do You Legally Have to Have a First Aider at Work? You must have a first aider at work in a high-risk environment with over five employees. If you are in a lower-risk workplace with fewer than 25 staff members, you will only need an appointed person who should be responsible for first-aid arrangements, should they be needed. If you have over 25 staff members, you will need to have a designated first aider.
Read on to find out when you should have a first aider, first aid qualifications, and where to get one.
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 do not specify the number of workplace first-aiders required. However, the regulations state that you must provide adequate and appropriate personnel to ensure staff receive attention if they are injured or fall ill at work. This also applies to individuals who are self-employed or operate as sole traders.
While you don’t legally need a trained first aider in some workplaces, it is recommended that you have a specific member of staff (an appointed person) to take charge of first aid if you operate in a low-risk environment or have a small number of employees.
If you are a larger organisation or operate in a high-risk environment, you should have a trained first aider on-site to ensure your staff are adequately looked after. Take a look at the table below to see how many appointed persons (AP) or first aiders (FA) you should have in your business:
|
Risk Level |
Examples |
Number of Employees |
Appropriate Number of First Aiders |
|
Low Risk |
|
<25 |
One AP |
|
25-50 |
One FA |
||
|
>50 |
One FA per 100 employees |
||
|
High Risk |
|
<5 |
One AP |
|
5-50 |
One FA |
||
|
>50 |
One FA per 50 Employees |
An appointed person is nominated to take charge of, or arrange first-aid arrangements, should they be needed at work. The appointed person should be the one to call an ambulance or direct others on what to do in other situations. An appointed person is not required to have any first aid qualifications. A first aider has undertaken formal training and is qualified to provide emergency first aid if someone injures themselves or falls ill at work. They must hold either the First Aid at Work or Emergency First Aid at Work certificates. Should an Appointed Person Have a First Aid Qualification? An appointed person doesn’t need a formal qualification, but we’d recommend your chosen staff member take a basic first aid course. This will give your appointed person a great understanding of first aid, enabling them to hold responsibility for first aid kits, equipment, and facilities while taking charge in an emergency and assessing the need for emergency services.
You should choose your first aid training provider based on your organisation's needs. If your business is small enough only to require an appointed person for first aid, choose a training provider that focuses on covering the basics of first aid and how to assess and respond to emergencies appropriately. For convenience, you may consider online first aid courses for your chosen staff member, which are often inexpensive, quick to complete, and more convenient for your chosen person to complete around other work commitments. Remember that no online course will allow you to become a fully qualified first aider, which requires classroom training with a certain number of contact hours. If you want a staff member to become a qualified first aider, look for a training course accredited by a regulated body, such as the SQA or Ofqual.
At HSE Docs, we recognise the importance of training courses to ensure safety within your workplace. We offer a concise, online First Aid at Work course, ideal for appointed persons to acquire the necessary skills to assess situations effectively and administer appropriate first aid. This course will cover the recovery position, including when to use it, how to open airways, and how to treat breathing problems. How do you apply dressings, treat burns, eye, head, and crush injuries? The Do's and Don'ts of Basic First Aid at Work. Automated external defibrillators, fractures, breaks and dislocations. Choking, abdominal trauma, the Heimlich manoeuvre, drowning and the effects and treatments for extreme heat or cold. Seizures, allergic reactions and anaphylactic shock. Bites, stings and rashes. To learn more about our First Aid at Work course, or if you need other advice on safety at work, get in touch with our team, who will be happy to answer any questions you may have.
