Overview
Employees who become ill or are wounded at work must receive urgent assistance. Every workplace is subject to the law, including independent contractors.
You must possess:
A first-aid kit with enough supplies;
A designated individual or individuals in charge of the first aid arrangements;
Details regarding first aid arrangements for all staff.
Determine what first aid you need
What constitutes “sufficient and appropriate” first aid measures will depend on your line of work and the environment in which you work.You should determine your first aid requirements because you are in the best position to comprehend the nature of your work.
You should think about the following:
The nature of your work;
dangers and the likelihood that they’ll hurt people;
How many people work for you?
The schedules of your employees;
vacations and other designated individuals are absent for vacations and other designated individuals;
the incidents that have happened in your company.
Designate a person to oversee first aid
The person in charge of your first aid plans is known as an appointed person. This includes taking care of the tools and buildings and calling the emergency services.
They don’t need to have any official training, and you can appoint more than one individual. When people are at work, the designated person must be accessible at all times.
First aid kit components
Your first aid needs assessment should serve as the basis for your first aid kit’s contents. As a general rule, a minimal first aid kit might include the following items where work activities are low-risk (for instance, desk-based work):
A brochure offering general first aid advice (such as the HSE’s brochure Basic advice on first aid at work).
Sterile plasters in various sizes, individually wrapped.
Sterile eye pads.
Sterile bandages
security pins.
Large and medium-sized sterile wound dressings that are individually wrapped and untreated.
Disposable gloves.
Maintaining or changing the first aid kit’s supplies
Regularly inspect your kit. There are expiration dates on many things, especially sterilized ones. Replace expired goods and carefully dispose of them. Ask the maker how long a sterile item can be stored if it doesn’t have an expiration date. You should confirm if non-sterile objects without dates are still appropriate for their intended use.
First aiders and training
You can determine that you require a first aider, sometimes known as a person with first aid training.
How many first responders you should have is not subject to any strict guidelines. It depends on the type of work you do and where you do it.
Using the results of your first aid needs analysis, choose:
If you require a first aid professional.
What constitutes a sufficient and suitable degree of training?
the number of people you train.
Conclusion
You are legally responsible for providing your own first aid if you are self-employed and based in a co-working environment (a shared workspace with other self-employed or employed workers). However, you and the other occupants can come to a common agreement. One employer typically agrees to provide first aid for all employees present under a written contract.