First Aid at Work
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or fewer employees and to the self-employed.
What is adequate will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first aiders are needed, what should be included in a first aid box and if a first aid room is needed. Employers should carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine this.
Assessment of first aid needs:
Employers are required to carry out an assessment of first aid needs. In other words they need to identify the level of risk to their employees in carrying out their work duties and consider what first aid equipment, personnel and facilities they need to make available.
First Aid Box
What should a first aid box in the workplace contain?
There is no mandatory list of contents for first aid boxes. Deciding what to include should be based on the employer's assessment of first aid needs.
- A suggested list of contents, where there is no special risk in the workplace, is given in a free leaflet from the HSE
Equivalent but different items will be considered acceptable. Any items in the first aid box which have passed their expiry date should be disposed of safely.
In general, tablets and medicines should not be kept in the first aid box.
How often should the contents of first aid boxes be replaced?
Although there is no specified review timetable, many items - particularly sterile ones - are marked with 'Best Before Dates'. Items with these on should be replaced by the dates given. In cases where sterile items have no dates, it would be advisable to check with the manufacturers as to how long they should be kept for. For non-sterile items, it is a matter of judgement - based on whether they are 'fit for purpose'.
First Aid Equipment
What first aid equipment should be provided?
Once an assessment of first aid needs has been carried out, the findings can be used to decide what first aid equipment should be provided in the workplace. The minimum level of first aid equipment is a suitably stocked first aid box. The assessment may indicate that additional materials and equipment are required such as scissors, adhesive tape, disposable aprons and individually wrapped moist wipes. They may be put in the first aid container if there is room or stored separately.
There may be a need for items such as protective equipment where first aiders may have to enter dangerous atmospheres. This should be securely stored near the first aid box, in the first aid room or the hazard area, as appropriate. Access to the equipment should be restricted to those trained in its use.
If mains tap water is not readily available for eye irrigation, at least one litre of sterile water or sterile normal saline (0.9%) in sealed, disposable containers should be provided. When the seal has been broken, the container should not be reused. The container should not be used beyond its expiry date.
