The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities and people, so employees get immediate help if they are injured or taken ill at work. The regulations do not set fixed numbers. Instead, you decide what is adequate through a first aid needs assessment.
The first aid needs assessment
Consider:
- The hazards and risks of your work: an office is lower risk than a workshop, warehouse or construction site.
- How many people work there, and their shift patterns.
- The history of accidents and illness.
- Work away from the main site, lone working and travel.
- How far the site is from emergency services.
- Holidays and absence, so cover is always available.
- Members of the public and visitors, if you choose to include them (HSE strongly recommends it).
Appointed persons and first aiders
- Appointed person: the minimum for low-risk workplaces. Takes charge of first aid arrangements and calls the emergency services. No formal training is required.
- Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW): a one-day course, suitable for lower-risk workplaces.
- First Aid at Work (FAW): a three-day course, for higher-risk or larger workplaces.
As a rough guide from HSE: a low-risk workplace with fewer than 25 people may need only an appointed person; 25 to 50 people, at least one EFAW-trained first aider; more than 50, at least one FAW-trained first aider for every 100. Higher-risk work needs more. Certificates last three years, and HSE recommends annual refresher training.
First aid kits
There is no mandatory list of contents. Base it on your assessment; a kit meeting British Standard BS 8599-1 is a sensible starting point. Check kits regularly, replace used and out-of-date items, and consider travel kits for people who drive for work. Consider a defibrillator (AED); they are increasingly common and easy to use.
Tell people where help is
Employees must know who the first aiders are and where the kit is. Notices in each area and an induction briefing are the usual way. Record first aid treatment given, and check whether an injury is reportable under RIDDOR.
Frequently asked questions
Is first aid training a legal requirement?
You must provide adequate first aid cover. Whether that means trained first aiders, and how many, depends on your needs assessment. Most workplaces with more than a handful of people need at least one.
How long does a first aid certificate last?
Three years for both EFAW and FAW. HSE strongly recommends annual refresher training in between.
Do we need mental health first aiders?
It is not a legal requirement, but HSE encourages employers to consider mental health alongside physical first aid in their needs assessment.
This guide is general information for UK businesses, not legal advice. Check the current regulations and HSE guidance at hse.gov.uk, and take professional advice for your situation.