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First Aid at Work – frequently asked questions
What is first aid at work? People can suffer injuries or fall ill whilst at work. It doesn't matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. First aid at work covers the arrangements an employer must make to ensure this happens. It can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones.
What do employers need to do? The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require you 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. What is adequate and appropriate will depend on the circumstances in the workplace and an assessment should be made of the first aid needs. The minimum first aid provision on any work place/site is a suitably stocked first aid box and an appointed person to take charge of first aid arrangements. First aid provision needs to be available at all times people are at work. Employees must be informed of the first aid arrangements. Putting up notices telling staff who and where the first aiders or appointed persons are and where the first aid box is will usually be sufficient.
What is an appointed person? An appointed person is someone the employer nominates to take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, call an ambulance if required and look after the first aid equipment, e.g. restocking the first aid box. Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained, though short emergency first aid training courses are available.
What is a first aider? A first aider is someone who has undergone a HSE approved training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate.
How many first aiders or appointed persons are required? It is not possible to give hard and fast rules on when or how many first aiders or appointed persons might be needed. This will depend on the circumstances of each particular organisation or worksite. The following table is not definitive nor are they a legal requirement. The employer must assess the first aid needs in the light of their particular circumstances.
| Category of risk | Numbers employed at any location | Suggested number of first-aid personnel |
| Lower risk e.g. shops, offices, libraries | Fewer than 50 | At least one appointed person |
| 50-100 | At least one first aider | |
| More than 100 | One additional first aider for every 100 employed | |
| Medium risk e.g. light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing | Fewer than 20 | At least one appointed person |
| 20-100 | At least one first aider for every 50 employed (or part thereof) | |
| More than 100 | One additional first aider for every 100 employed | |
| Higher risk e.g. most construction, slaughter houses, chemical manufacture, extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments | Fewer than five | At least one appointed person |
| 5-50 | At least one first aider | |
| More than 50 | One additional first aider for every 50 employed |
Information sourced from the HSE.