New requirements for First Aid in the workplace

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) have announced changes to First Aid in the workplace which will be effective from 1 October 2009, constituting the first major amendments since 1981. The main changes are:-

1. Risk Assessment guidelines to determine First aid provision in the workplace are set to be revised. Only two categories of Establishment (or Activity type) are now envisaged for assessing risk levels in the workplace (Medium Risk has been eliminated from the table).
2. For lower Hazard environments, the HSE have proposed that all organisations should consider providing basic emergency life support for their staff, even if their risk assessment determines that qualified First aiders are not required.
3. With the elimination of the Medium Risk category, the High Risk classification is now likely to include the majority of organisations previously in this band, including light engineering and warehousing. In this case, if 5 or more staff (including part-timers) are employed, a fully qualified First aider will be required. A decision on whether staff require training on the one-day or the three-day Statutory course will also need to be made.
4. From 1 October 2009, the Emergency Aid for Appointed Persons course (AP or EAAP) will be replaced by the One-day Emergency First Aid in the Workplace Statutory course (EFAW). This course may be suitable where a First aider trained on the 3-day course is not deemed necessary as the likelihood of serious injury is low. Certification lasts for 3 years.
5. The First Aid at Work initial course (FAW) has been reduced to 3 days from 4. Recent simplification to some protocols means that less time is required to teach the skills needed.
6. A new half-day Annual refresher training courser is to be launched. It is strongly recommendation that it should be taken by both EFAW and FAW certificate holders 12 and 24 months after certification. Full requalification must still be achieved in the third year.

What is required from 1 October?

• You’ll need to review your current First aid Risk Assessment in line with the new guidelines to determine if current cover is sufficient. If not a decision on the training level and numbers of First aiders will be required.
• Holders of current First aid certificates (FAW and AP) do not need to take another course until their certificate expires. They also need not take an annual refresher until after they requalify, although a responsible employer may feel that this is necessary.

New Risk Assessment guidelines will be published by the HSE on 1 October. The current proposals can be viewed in full on the HSE website. Further information on the changes can be also be obtained here, and for the BWF’s dedicated Health and Safety Area, please follow this link.