The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require all employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. These regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed.
Following a review of first aid training and approval arrangements, the HSE have implemented the following changes, effective from 1 October 2009:
- The HSE approved course for first aid in the workplace has become the three-day First Aid at Work (FAW) course – formerly a four-day course
- A new one-day course Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) has been introduced. This will address the needs for a trained first aider in workplaces that are classed as lower-risk – for example offices and shops.
Visit the HSE website for more information about first aid legislation
Annual First Aid Refresher
The HSE strongly recommends that all first aiders (FAW and EFAW) also complete a half-day refresher course annually. Click here for more information