First Aid is the initial or immediate assistance given to someone who has been injured or taken ill before the arrival of qualified medical assistance.
It:
preserves life
prevents the condition from worsening
promotes recovery
Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974
Requires employers to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety and welfare of their employees This also extends to non-employees such as outside contractors and members of the public.
Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (1982 Northern Ireland)
Employers are required to provide adequate personnel, training, equipment and facilities to render FIRST AID to their employees should they become injured or taken ill at work.
Management of the Health & Safety at Work Regulations 1999
Require employers to make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks to health and safety of all their employees.
First Aid at Work Provision
Risk assessments should cover the following
- Workplace hazards and risks
- The size of the organisation
- The organisation’s history of accidents
- The nature and distribution of the workforce
- The remoteness of the site from emergency services
- Remote and lone workers
- Employees working on shared or multi-occupied sites
- Annual leave and other absences of First Aiders
As an Emergency First Aider you should liaise with management and other First Aiders:
- To ensure that the provision of First Aid is organised
- To ensure adequate First Aid kits are available
- To keep records and reports