First Aid Training in the Workplace

The provision of adequate first aid training and facilities in the workplace has been a legal requirement in the UK since 1981, yet many employers have neglected to provide workable first aid solutions for employees. This is mainly due to not completing a full risk assessment of the workplace, including the environment, job duties and employee needs. A risk assessment should always be performed by a neutral and experienced health professional, that will specify the training and facilities that need to be implemented.

The amount of first aid training and materials required differs from employer to employer; the minimum requirement for a relatively small company is simply a well stocked and easily accessible first aid kit (you can find a detailed list at the Health and Safety Executive website) and an appointed person trained in first aid, CPR. The first aid course chosen to provide this training should provide nationally recognised HSE certification in order to comply with the law. Larger companies would be advised to provide regular first aid courses to all workers, and also provide Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) and relevant training for responsible persons.

An AED is a proven lifesaving piece of equipment and is an invaluable tool for any public place. The American Red Cross states that for anyone suffering a cardiac arrest the rate of survival decreases by 10% every minute before treatment. An employee trained in first aid would be able to act almost instantly in providing treatment with the AED, prior to the arrival of emergency services. The current UK government target (as of 2009) for ambulance response time is 8 minutes, which is obviously a considerable amount of time for a medical emergency to remain untreated. Fundamentally, the more people with first aid training the faster a person suffering a medical emergency can receive effective treatment.

These statistics emphasize the need for comprehensive first aid training and equipment with regular refresher courses. Most important of all is that you choose a high quality provider of first aid courses, that makes use of a variety of engaging learning methods such as visual aids with supervised practical training, to ensure that the techniques are remembered in the long term. It’s worth noting that any first aid course completed is certified for three years and requires a refresher course before this period ends to extend the certification.

Regular refresher first aid courses are vital not only for the certificate but also to stay up to date with current first aid techniques and practices, which change and develop as technology progresses. A workplace should have as many people trained in first aid as possible. Having first aid providers at hand can make a significant difference to a person's recovery and potentially even save their life.

First Aid Training and Courses
Ashgrove First Aid Training