27 Jun What First Aid do you need?
Do you know what you need for First Aid?
If you have the right attitude and foresight many accidents can be prevented in the workplace but what if something goes wrong? What is your first port of call? Often, it is the first aid kit – a small but vital part of your health and safety at work that can save lives.
Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations, 1981 employers must provide adequate equipment and facilities to deal with an illness or accident immediately. To keep in line with the law it is best to undertake an assessment of the workplace’s first aid needs. You should establish all the potential risks in your work environment to make an informed decision about the type of first aid provision your business requires. It is also worth noting that if you are self-employed a first aid assessment is strongly advised. Depending on if you work at home or travel a lot your first aid provision will vary.
Although there is no legal checklist of what should be in a first aid kit, we have pulled together a list of useful items that you will want to make sure are in your kit.
What should be in a first aid kit?
- A leaflet on general first aid
- Medium sterile dressings (12×12)
- Large Sterile dressings
- Assorted plasters
- Triangular bandage
- Safety pins
- Sterile eye pads
- Disposable gloves
It is better to be safe than sorry when it comes to your first aid kit, so it may also be worth investing in the following…
- Saline cleansing wipes
- Roll of adhesive tape
- Sterile adhesive dressings
However, the above are only suggestions for how to fill your first aid box.
Now you have items in your first aid kit some of your staff will need first aid training. Part of your first aid assessment must also consider how many trained first aiders your business needs. The work environment will dictate the level of first aid training required which includes basic FAW (First aid at Work) or EFAW (Emergency first aid at work) training.
The Sphere team can provide training/ locate the nearest training provider or help with any first aid need, call now on 01733 286070 to ensure your first aiders are trained to the highest