HSE First Aid Requirements in The Workplace

At Authentic Training, one of our most popular courses is the Level 3 First Aid at Work course.

We run it for people from all different organisations and from all different walks of life – because organisations of all kinds, from very big to very small, have to think about first aid in the workplace at some time or other.

The 1981 Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 made it law for all employers to make arrangements to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.

Even if you’re a one-man or one-woman business, there may well come a time when you start taking on staff and need to think about having an assessment of your first aid needs and appointing a named first-aider.

So let’s address the first question that business owners often ask when it comes to first aid in the workplace.

First Aid needs assessment: How many first aiders do I need?

The HSE, the Health and Safety Executive, exists to keep people safe wherever they are – where they live, where they work and in their environment.

The HSE provides guidelines on the number of first aiders each organisation needs, but it’s important to remember that all businesses and workplaces are different.

According to the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, business owners are required to “provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people so your employees can be given immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work.”

In terms of first aiders, what it boils down to is this.

– If you have fewer than 25 employees, you only need one appointed first aider.

– If you have between 25 and 50 employees, you need one Emergency First Aid at Work-trained first aider

– If you have more than 50 employees, you need one First Aid at Work-trained first aider per 100 people.

However, all that changes if your workplace is classed as “high risk”. High-risk workplaces involve high-risk activities where staff work with dangerous machinery or heavy equipment. Typical high risk workplaces include factories, building sites, and health services.

If your workplace is classed as high risk, then you are likely to need one Emergency First Aid at Work-trained first aider for every 25 staff on your books.

I have a small business with a small office. Do I need a HSE First Aid needs assessment?

All organisations and workplaces are different and will have different requirements with regard to first aid. But don’t fall into the trap of thinking that all you have to do is appoint a first-aider, send them on a EFAW or FAW course and carry on as before.

Unfortunately, making a first aid needs assessment that the HSE will be happy with is not that simple.

As a business owner, you have an obligation to make appropriate first-aid arrangements for everyone in your workplace.

This is more than a headcount – you need to look at the circumstances of your workplace, your workforce and any risks they may face before deciding what provisions you need to put in place.

You might have a very small team and only need a first-aid box and a named person who will be in charge of first-aid arrangements – like dialling 999 and stocking the first-aid box. In such circumstances, your first aider won’t need specific first-aid training.