Why first aid at work is important

Published on September 15th, 2022 | by Sophie West

There are multiple benefits to first aid within the workplace; preventing deaths, reducing the severity of injuries, reduced productivity loss, reduction in reputational damage and avoiding HSE investigations and prosecutions.

The UK has one of the best health and safety records in the world, however,  as reported by the HSE in their December 2021 statistics, 147 deaths and 581,000 non-fatal injuries were reported and 150,000 employees sustained injuries that resulted in absence from work for more than three days.

What are the company’s responsibilities?

Companies need an appropriate number of first aiders; where there are fewer than 50 employees at least 1, and where there are more than 50, at least 1 for every 100 employees. This can get a little more complicated when it comes to industries with shift patterns or work with the general public.

Legal Duties for first aid in the workplace

As stated by the HSE, as an employer you are responsible for making sure that your employees receive immediate attention if they are taken ill or are injured at work. Accidents and illness can happen at any time and first aid can save lives and prevent minor injuries from becoming major ones.

You must make appropriate first-aid arrangements for your workplace. In doing so you should consider the circumstances of your workplace, workforce and the health and safety risks that may be present to help you decide what arrangements you need to put in place.

Some small low-risk workplaces need to have only a first-aid box and a person appointed to take charge of first-aid arrangements such as calling the emergency services and stocking the first-aid box. The appointed person does not need specific first-aid training, although they would likely feel more confident if they did.

If your workplace has more significant health and safety risks, for example you use machinery or hazardous materials then you are more likely to need a trained first-aider.

You must provide all your employees with details of the first-aid arrangements.

Training

Here at Agility Risk and Compliance, we offer a selection of First Aid training courses, which can be delivered at your workplace or at our Agility training facility. Our First Aid courses provide you with the necessary set of skills needed to become a first aider within the workplace, and include:

• Emergency First Aid
• First Aid at Work
• Paediatric First Aid
• Defib Training
• CPR Training

Where can I find out more information on first aid?

If you’re looking for more information on First Aid courses visit our website here, give our friendly team a call on 01527 571 611, or email info@agilityrac.com.