Frequently Asked Questions

What is first aid at work?
People at work can suffer injuries or fall ill. It doesn’t matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. First aid at work covers the arrangements you must make to ensure this happens. It can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones.

So what do I need to do?
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to your employees if they are injured or become ill at work. What is adequate and appropriate will depend on the circumstances in your workplace and you should assess what your first aid needs are.

What is the minimum first-aid provision on any work site?
A suitably stocked first-aid box.
An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements.

It is also important to remember that accidents can happen at any time. First-aid provision needs to be available at all times people are at work.

What is an appointed person?
An appointed person is someone you choose to take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required and look after the first-aid equipment, eg restocking the first-aid box.

Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained, though short emergency first-aid training courses are available. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site - this may mean appointing more than one.

Where can I find out more about the First Aid requirements for my business?
You can visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/firindex.htm for more information.

Why should I train my staff in Manual Handling?
More than a third of all over-three-day injuries reported each year to HSE and local authorities are caused by manual handling - the transporting or supporting of loads by hand or by bodily force. The most recent survey of self-reported work-related illness estimated that in 2001/02, 1.1 million people in Great Britain suffered from musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) caused or made worse by their current or past work. An estimated 12.3 million working days were lost due to these work-related MSDs. On average each sufferer took about 20 days off in that 12-month period.

Manual handling injuries can occur wherever people are at work - on farms and building sites, in factories, offices, warehouses, hospitals, banks, laboratories, and while making deliveries. Heavy manual labour, awkward postures, manual materials handling, and previous or existing injury are all risk factors implicated in the development of MSDs. Prevention and control of MSDs, such as manual handling injuries, has been identified as a priority by the Health and Safety Commission.

You can visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/manlinde.htm for more information.

Why should I train my staff in Fire Safety Awareness?
The Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 came into force on the 1st of October 2006 .The objective of the RRFSO is to consolidate the general fire safety precautions of a large number of pieces of legislation including the requirement for the issue of a Fire certificate.

The RRFSO introduces a risk based approach and requires the responsible person to carry out risk assessments to demonstrate that that the fire safety precautions are adequate for the premises.

Employers have a responsibility for ensuring the health, safety and welfare of their employees and others who may have access to the workplace. These general duties include safety in relation to fire hazards, both from the work processes and activities, as well as general fire safety in the workplace.

Where can i find out more information to ensure that my company is protected under Health & Safety Law?
You can visit http://www.hse.gov.uk/smallbusinesses/faqs.htm for more information.