Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
cleansing wipes which are not impregnated with
alcohol may be used instead)
15.22
The Health and Safety (First-Aid)
Regulations 1981 (SI 0917)
➤
Disposable plastic gloves, aprons and suitable
protective equipment should also be provided as
should plastic disposable bags for soiled or used
fi rst aid dressings. These should be disposed of in
sealed bags as necessary.
These regulations place a general duty on the employer
to make adequate provision of their employees if they
are injured or become ill at work and are supported by
an Approved Code of Practice.
In deciding on the provision of 'suitable persons', the
employer should again concentrate on the nature of the
work as opposed to the numbers employed. As a mini-
mum there must be an 'appointed person' at all times
when employees are at work and in low risk situations,
e.g. offi ces, an employer will need one 'suitable person'
for every 50 employees. Supporting guidance from the
HSE provides a simple chart to assist in determining the
level of provision required.
A 'suitable person' is defi ned as a fi rst-aider who
holds a current fi rst aid certifi cate issued by an HSE
approved organisation and any other person who has
undergone training and obtained qualifi cations approved
by the HSE. Certifi cates of qualifi cation are currently
valid for 3 years after which a refresher course of a
minimum of 12 contact hours (normally over 2 days)
followed by an examination is required for recertifi cation.
An 'appointed person' is someone who is provided
by the employer to take charge of the situation if a serious
injury or illness occurs in the absence of a fi rst-aider. They
are not required to be fi rst aid trained although it is good
practice for them to be trained in emergency fi rst aid
(minimum 4 hours' contact time repeated every 3 years).
15.22.1 Defi nition of fi rst aid
The regulations defi ne 'fi rst aid' as:
Treatment for the purposes of preserving life
and minimising the consequence of injury
and ill health until help from a medical practi-
tioner or nurse is obtained.
and
Treatment of minor injuries which would oth-
erwise receive no treatment or which do not
require treatment by a medical practitioner or
nurse.
15.22.2
Provision for fi rst aid - regulation 3
The employer is required to provide, or ensure that there
are provided:
➤
Adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities
to enable fi rst aid to be rendered to their employees
if they are injured or become ill at work
➤
Adequate and appropriate numbers of suitable per-
sons for rendering fi rst aid.
The ACoP provides extensive guidance on how to deter-
mine the adequacy of fi rst aid equipment and facili-
ties which should largely be determined by the nature
of the activities performed as opposed to the numbers
employed.
As a minimum, there should be:
15.22.3
Information for employees - regulation 4
The employer must inform their employees of the fi rst
aid arrangements including the location of equipment,
facilities and personnel. This should be provided at
induction and reinforced should they move to another
part of the establishment.
15.22.4
Self-employed - regulation 5
➤
At least one fi rst aid kit which:
➤
Is placed in a clearly identifi able and readily
accessible location
The self-employed are required to provide such fi rst aid
equipment as is adequate for themselves. This may be
as simple as a small travel kit. Often, the self-employed
will share facilities with other employers although this
should be agreed and not assumed.
➤
Contains a suffi cient quantity of suitable fi rst aid
materials and nothing else (guidance on suitable
contents is detailed in the ACoP)
➤
Is checked regularly so that the contents are not
used past their expiry date and are replenished
as soon as possible after use
15.23
The Health and Safety
(Information for Employees)
Regulations 1989 (SI 682)
➤
Is stored in a clearly identifi able and suitable box
designed to protect the contents from damp and
dust and labelled with a white cross on a green
background (see later section on the Safety
Signs and Safety Signals Regulations 1996)
These regulations require the employer to either dis-
play an approved poster (Health and Safety - What
you should know) or to issue their employees with an
➤
Soap and water and disposable drying materials
for fi rst aid purposes (individually wrapped moist
