HSE Changes the Rules on First Aid Training – October 2009

On 1st October 2009 the HSE introduced new guidelines under the Health& Safety (First Aid) Regulations.

On 1st October 2009, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) updated guidance for employers and this affects your business. As an Employer, your organisation is legally required to undertake a First Aid Needs Assessment in line with the new HSE guidance. Our easy-to-follow Guidance for Employers (and a separate one for Schools) provides full details of how to perform a new-style First Aid Needs Assessment (To download the guidance please follow the appropriate link: Employers click here. Schools click here).

The new guidance clearly indicates that the HSE have moved away from the old practice of basing the first aid needs assessment solely on head count. Employers that use the original ‘head count’ table without reading and digesting the guidance fully may be mislead or assume their assessment should be based primarily on head count. In fact, basing first aid needs on the number of employees in the workplace is now the final indictor, not the first.

In a nutshell – The HSE has introduced the new style Emergency First Aid at Work course and now recommends annual refresher training for all HSE approved courses.

In addition, Employers not only have to decide how many first aiders they require but also which type of first aider they need i.e. First Aider at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW). To make sure that your organisation selects the most appropriate type of course for the risks in your workplace, it is essential that you know which subjects are NOT covered on the new EFAW course (but are covered on the FAW course). Subjects not covered on the EFAW include:
Fractures, sprains and strains, spinal injuries, chest injuries, severe burns and scalds, eye injuries, poisoning, anaphylaxis, heart attack, stroke, epilepsy, asthma and diabetes.

In conclusion, if there is a likelihood of some of the above injuries occurring in your workplace then you will need the full FAW training course for a small proportion of staff and may wish to consider the EFAW for the majority.

Let us help you get it right, first time!

OPTIMUM have been working with its clients tirelessly since 1994 and are able to help you understand your obligations under the new requirements. You don’t have to spend hours working through the criterion; we’ve already done it for you. Just call us for more advice.