As we know, accidents can happen at any time in the workplace, and it is essential that there are steps put in place to minimise the chances of serious injuries taking place. Therefore, in the UK, it is a legal requirement for an employer to have first aid provisions available for their staff.
As a minimum, an employer will require a well equipped first aid kit on their premises, but this will only be appropriate for extremely low risk workplaces. The employer will also need to delegate an appointed person (AP) to provide basic medical assistance in the case of an accident, such as calling an ambulance.
One or more first aiders will be needed in a workplace with a larger premises and workforce, and in those workplaces where there are significant health and safety concerns such as warehouses or factories.
To establish the first aid provisions an employer needs, the employer should carry out a workplace risk assessment. If it is deemed necessary for them to have a first aider, it is the employers’ responsibility to train a sufficient number of employees to be competent in first aid. Training should be provided by a qualified first aid training provider.
Other resources for first aid include:
The Role Of A First Aider At Work
As a first aider, it is your responsibility to provide medical assistance to major or minor injuries or accidents that take place at work. You might also need to provide assistance to those who have fallen ill while at work. While it is not your responsibility to prevent accidents from happening, you should take every step possible to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all at the scene, and prevent further harm from occurring.
As a first aider, you should be trained to deal with various injuries, accidents, and emergencies. While not everything might be necessary for your line of work, the types of things you will need to be aware of include:
- Understanding the role of a first responder
- CPR
- Assisting an unconscious person
- Bleeding and wounds
- Shocks
- Fractures
- Burns
- Asthma attacks
- Eye injuries
- Diabetes
- Heart attacks
- Strokes
As a first aider, you will need to understand these kinds of ailments well enough to implement potentially lifesaving assistance. It is often a practical role, and sometimes you could be the difference between life and death. It’s important that you have the confidence and ability to administer any necessary assistance until the emergency services arrive.
A first aider should also keep a record of any incidents that take place. Ideally, your employer will have a logbook to record incidents. When making a record, you should note down the injured persons’ name, the time and date of the incident, the nature of the injury, and what assistance was provided. The injured person should sign it, too.
It’s also recommended that a first-aider refreshes their knowledge at least annually, whether that’s attending a course in-person or online.
Emergency First Aid At Work
Aside from being a fully trained first aider, it is also possible to be trained solely in emergency first aid. Individuals who are qualified in Emergency First Aid when specialise specifically on serious accidents, injuries or other health issues that require an ambulance.
Similar to a first aider, an emergency first aider will need to be able to offer immediate and urgent assistance in the form of:
- Moving injured party into the recovery position
- Administering CPR
- Mitigating bleeding through pressure and elevation
- Helping to keep somebody conscious and calm
Emergency first aid courses are generally shorter than their counterparts as not as much information is covered. Nevertheless, they are still enormously vital to many workplaces/
How Do I Become A Qualified First Aider?
Becoming a first aider or an emergency first aider makes you an asset. Not only does it look great on your CV, it means you make a tangible contribution to society by helping people through the worst kinds of situations.
Before qualifying, you will need to decide on what kind of first aider you would like to be. You should consider this question carefully, as your responsibilities will differ depending on which route you decide to take. To summarise, the roles you can take are:
- Appointed person (AP – no qualification required)
- First aid at work (FAW)
- Emergency first aid at work (EFAW)
Then, you need to take an accredited course to qualify. These courses generally take place over a period of 1-3 days depending on the level, with the longer ones covering a wider range of topics in vastly more depth.
Make sure you use a trusted provider. British Red Cross has a fantastic guide to picking a trustworthy training provider.
Can Flagship Partners Provide First Aid At Work Training?
Yes we can! We run a range of first aid at work courses every month at our training centre in Peterborough, all are fully accredited. We’re proud of what we do, and that’s why we recently won the award for Best Provider in East England!
As well as offering classroom courses, we also offer an enormous range of online first aid courses for those who wish to top up on their knowledge. These courses cover a wide variety of illnesses, ailments, and conditions, and can be booked in just a few clicks! They’re designed to give you all the information you need in a concise, digestible way, while respecting your time and your wallet!
For more information on first aid at work, or health and safety consultancy service, or any other services, please get in touch.
