The specific layout of your first aid equipment and the number of qualified first aiders will vary depending on a few things. These considerations include the size of your team, location, and the hazards associated with the nature of the task.
Every worker in the workplace must have access to at least one first-aid kit. Keep first-aid kits near areas where there is a higher danger of injury or illness, as well as inside work cars if employees are required to travel as part of their employment.
It is suggested that one first aider be present for:
- In a high-risk workplace, every 25 employees
- for every 50 workers in a low-risk workplace.
There are, however, additional options if the office is shared with other firms or is one of numerous tenants in a large structure such as a shopping mall. Instead of educating your own employees, you might be able to confer with other business owners and building management to guarantee that your employees have access to first aid.
Responsibilities of the employer
It is your responsibility to offer first aid. You must provide your employees, as well as anyone else who visits your office, with access to:
- appropriate first aid equipment.
- trained first aiders.
Access to and supply of first aid must be provided at no expense to your employees or first responders. Compiling a risk assessment is essential since it will help you identify your first aid needs.
This should entail consulting with your employees to get their feedback. The contents of first aid kits should be determined by your risk assessment for first aid.
Trained first aiders
It is critical to have qualified first aiders on your team. Prompt and adequate first aid can lessen the severity of an accident or disease and, in extreme situations, can mean the difference between life and death.
To be recognized as a first aider, a person must have completed either a nationally authorized training course or an equivalent training course that has provided them with the skills necessary to deliver first aid. South Australia has a variety of training providers that offer recognized first aid training.
First-aid supplies
It is critical that all workers have access to at least one first aid kit in the workplace. A first aider or someone from the company should be designated to keep the first aid kit in good working order.
Bandages, adhesive tape, scissors, antiseptic cream, and disposable gloves should all be included in the first aid box to provide basic first assistance for accidents. To determine what materials should be included in the first aid kit, undertake a risk assessment of the workplace. A first aid kit for an office or construction site, for example, will have different items than one for a research laboratory.
First aid kits must be easily identified by a white cross on a green backdrop and made of a material that protects the contents from dust, moisture, and contamination. They can be any size or shape, but they must be large enough to hold all of the required goods.
First-aid station
A first-aid room is advised for:
- high-risk workplaces with more than 100 workers.
- low-risk workplaces with more than 200 workers.
In a smaller business, a risk assessment may determine that a dedicated first aid treatment area is required.
Other first-aid supplies and services
In addition to first aid kits, it is critical to assess whether any other first aid equipment is required to address workplace injuries and illnesses.
This could include;
- shower and eyewash equipment, either permanent or portable;
- an automatic defibrillator when there is a risk of electrocution or where there are significant numbers of members of the public in or around the workplace on a daily basis