Hi everyone. Last week I talked about the importance of having a plan in place for dealing with home and workplace emergencies. Whether you are implementing or are reviewing your emergency plan, you must include first aid arrangements as an important element of any emergency plan. Employers must ensure the provision of and access to, first aid equipment and facilities for their workers.
Employers must also ensure an adequate number of workers, or others, have been trained to administer first aid. Depending on the workplace your first aid requirements could changes, depending on the nature of your work, the types of hazards present and the size, location and composition of your workplace.
All of these factors should be considered when deciding what first aid arrangements need to be provided, including the number of trained first aiders available in your workplace. You will also need to keep emergency phone numbers handy for the fire and ambulance services, doctors and the Poisons Information Centre (13 11 26). Ensuring your workplace is first aid ready, could be the difference between life and death. For further information regarding your first aid responsibilities, please refer to the First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice 2014. (Nick Lines, WHS Advisor)
Employers Legal Obligations:
- Employers are required to provide their employees:
- first aid equipment
- access to first aid equipment
- access to facilities for the administration of first aid equipment.
- Employers are required to ensure adequate number of employees are trained to provide first aid, or the workers have access to other persons who are trained for first aid.
- When workplace is deciding on what first aid arrangements need to be provided within the workplace, they are required to assess:
- Nature of work is carried out within the workplace
- Types of hazards present
- Size, composition and location of the workplace.
“If you would like to learn more- WHS Regulation 2011 – S42 Duty to provide first Aid, Code of Practice First Aid in the Workplace”
Quick Tips- Implementing First Aid in the Workplaces
- Risk Assessment: Every workplace is different, conduct a comprehensive first aid risk assessment to identify the potential risks and what you could do to minimise the risk of harm including your first aid needs.
- Equipment: Assess workplaces size, location, layout, number of workers and types of hazards they are exposed. Identify the site specific, and task specific First Aid Equipment needs.
- Inspections: Conduct regular inspections. This will help your organisation to replace the used items, and check the use by date of the first aid kit items
- Access: The first aid kit needs to be instantly distinguishable and be easily accessible to all workers within your workplace and need to be unlocked.
First Aid Officers:
You need to have adequate number of workers, who are trained to administer first aid. Or your workers have access to an adequate number of trained first aiders. If first aid facilities provided by others nearby are available, inform your staff to make sure everyone knows who the other first aid officers are, how to recognise them and how to call for help in case of an emergency.
WHS and Training Compliance Solutions offering, WHS for managers and supervisors, WHS Committees and Mental Health First Aid training courses. We offer our courses in elearning platform as well. If you would like to gather more information, contact us.
