First aid equipment is used to reduce the effects of any injury or illness and summon an ambulance if required. The provision of first aid must be ‘adequate and appropriate in the circumstances.’ This means that the level of first aid equipment and training that employers must provide their employees varies according to the hazards and risks involved in their workload.
Employers should carry out a first aid needs assessment to identify what level of first aid provision is necessary for their employees. This assessment should take into account:
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nature of the work
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nature of the workforce
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history of accidents in the organisation
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size of the organisation
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needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
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work patterns
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distribution of the workforce
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remoteness of the site from emergency medical services
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employees working on shared sites
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annual leave and other absences of first-aiders and appointed persons
There is no legal requirement to keep a written record of this assessment. However, a record may be useful to demonstrate to an HSE or local authority inspector how the first aid needs of the role were identified. As a benchmark, employers should ensure that their employees working from home have access to:
Health and safety requirements vary according to the level of risk identified in the employer’s first aid needs assessment.