Fire & Safety Training Centre is often asked about First Aid in the workplace.
So we’ve put together some of the frequently asked questions:
What is first aid at work?
People at work can suffer injuries or be taken ill. It doesn’t matter whether the injury or illness is
caused by the work they do or not, it is important to give them immediate attention and call an ambulance
in serious cases. You should make arrangements to ensure this happens. It can save lives and prevent minor
injuries becoming major ones.
A first aider is someone who has done training appropriate to the level identified in the needs assessment. This may be:
- first aid at work (FAW)
- emergency first aid at work (EFAW)
- some other first-aid training appropriate to the particular
circumstances of your workplace.
The findings of your first-aid needs assessment will identify whether first aiders should be trained in FAW, EFAW, or some other appropriate level of training.
EFAW training enables a first aider to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work. FAW training includes the same content as EFAW and also equips the first aider to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illness. To help keep their basic skills up to date, it is strongly recommended that your first aiders undertake annual refresher training.
What is the legal obligation for first aid provision at work?
Employers have an obligation under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations and guidance to make adequate and appropriate first aid provision for their workforce.
What does my employer have
to do on first aid?
Your employer is expected to have:
- completed a first-aid needs assessment
- ensured that there is either an appointed person to take charge of first-aid
arrangements or, if necessary, there are appropriate numbers of suitably
trained first aiders
- ensured there are adequate facilities and a suitable stocked first-aid box
- provided you with information about the first-aid arrangements
How many first aiders are needed in the workplace/business?
The findings of an employer's first-aid needs assessment will help them decide how many first aiders are required. There are no hard and fast rules on exact numbers and all the relevant circumstances of your particular workplace should be taken into account. The table in the leaflet First aid at work assessment tool provides further guidance.
How do I identify and select a competent training provider?
First-aid training is available from a wide range of training providers.
These include:
- those offering nationally recognised, regulated qualifications
in FAW and EFAW
- the voluntary aid societies (St John Ambulance, British Red Cross
and St Andrew’s First Aid)
- those operating under voluntary accreditation schemes
- those who operate independently
As an employer, you will need assurance that you have selected an appropriate training provider.
You will therefore need to check that they meet the standards in a number of areas.
All training providers should be prepared to demonstrate that they:
- are competent to deliver first-aid training
- have qualified trainers
- teach relevant course content in the correct way
- have the necessary quality assurance systems in place
Maintenance of training quality?
The existing first aid at work training i.e. emergency first aid at work (EFAW) and first aid at work (FAW) meet the needs of the majority of businesses and remain the building blocks in the provision of first aid at work training, employers have the flexibility to choose whatever level of first aid training is appropriate for their business need and circumstances.
Where can I find more details for the FAW and EFAW courses?
More details can be found in course overview on our website at First aid training.
What training is required for
using a defibrillator?
For the purpose of complying with regulations the employer should provide information and written instructions, for example from the Automated External Defibrillator’s (AED) manufacturer, on how to use it. However, fuller training is likely to make the user more confident and is now an integral part of the syllabus for FAW and EFAW courses.
Does the EFAW course replace appointed person training?
For regulatory purposes, successfully completing an EFAW course will enable the student to act as a first aider in the workplace. The role of the appointed person remains and there continues to be no regulatory requirement for such personnel to undertake first aid training. However, employers can still send appointed persons on basic first aid training such as on EFAW courses, in which case they would become first-aiders in regulatory terms.