Is it a legal requirement to have a first aider on site?

If someone is injured or taken ill at work, failure to provide first aid could be catastrophic.

Without immediate attention, including calling an ambulance in serious cases, minor injuries can quickly become major ones – and major injuries and illnesses can result in death.

Therefore, all employers must ensure that employees who are hurt or become ill at work – whether as a result of their work or not – receive immediate attention.

Depending on the nature of the business and its activities, it may be necessary to have one or more trained first aiders on site at all times to provide this immediate attention when required.

Does your business need a first aider on site? Read on to find out…

Is it a legal requirement to have a first aider on site?

Under UK law, all employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees may receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.

Whether this includes a trained first aider depends on a variety of factors to be identified in a comprehensive assessment of workplace first aid needs. This includes the number of employees, the nature of the hazards present in the workplace, and whether there are inexperienced workers on site.

Where an assessment of first aid needs identifies that a trained first aider is not required in a workplace, someone must be appointed to take charge of first aid arrangements.

This person will be responsible for looking after any first aid equipment and facilities, and for calling the emergency services when required. They do not have to have any first aid training to hold this role.

What is a first aider?

A workplace first aider is someone who has completed training to the appropriate level identified in an assessment of workplace first aid needs.

Some common types of first aid training are first aid at work (FAW) and emergency first aid at work (EFAW). Both enable someone to give emergency first aid to someone who is injured or becomes ill while at work, while FAW training also equips someone to apply first aid to a range of specific injuries and illnesses.

Workplaces with specific hazards may require first aiders trained in additional, specialist care.

In all cases, first aiders should strive to keep their basic skills up to date, undertaking annual refresher training as a minimum.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has guidance on selecting an appropriate first aid training provider for your needs.

When is a first aider required in the workplace?

The HSE recommends higher hazard workplaces with more than five employees that handle potentially dangerous machinery and work with sharp instruments have at least one trained first aider available at all times during working hours for every 50 employees.

Higher hazard workplaces with fewer than five employees may choose to instead have one appointed person responsible for first aid, who does not need to have formal first aid training.

Low hazard workplaces like offices and shops employing more than 25 people should have at least one trained first aider for every 100 employees. Those with under 25 employees may instead choose to have an appointed person responsible for first aid.

Other factors that may influence a business’s decision to employ more than the minimum number of required trained first aiders include:

• Specialist hazards, including confined spaces and hazardous chemicals
• Inexperienced workers on site, including trainees and those on work experience
• Disabled employees and those with particular health conditions that may require extra assistance in the event of an incident occurring
• Past history of accidents and illnesses at work
• Number and size of sites and buildings to be covered by any first aider
• Distance to emergency medical services such as the nearest hospital, including any emergency transport requirements
• The likelihood of non-employees, such as members of the public, visiting the premises. There is no legal requirement for businesses to provide first aid for non-employees, but the HSE strongly recommends businesses do so where it may be considered sensible.

For more information on providing first aid at work, you can view our previous articles:
What First Aid do I need in the workplace?
How to kit out a first aid room?

Detailed information on all the topics covered may be found on the HSE website.

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If you need help to assess your workplace first aid needs, whether for an existing site or a new location that you are looking to fit out, give us a call or contact us through our website.