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A first aider in the workplace is someone who provides medical emergency care to injured employees while awaiting arrival of emergency medical service (EMS) personnel. According to OSHA regulations, employers have a legal duty to arrange for the immediate care of their staff if they become ill at work, provide first aid training program and first aid personnel depending on the circumstances of their workplace.
According to the first aid in the workplace code of practice, an employer must provide first aid kits and facilities, employ an appropriate number of trained first aiders, and training for employees about first aid arrangements and skills. Some workplaces have greater risks of injury. So employers are required to assess first aid requirements by analyzing:
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Size and location of the workplace: Factors such as the location of your workplace, the distance from medical services, the number of employees at work at any given time and the likelihood of employees being hurt will affect the medical and first aid needs of your workplace. Workplaces in remote areas need to make special arrangements for providing first aid to employees.
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Layout of the workplace: Different work sites and office buildings have different layout. A company might have employees working on several buildings or they are working in several floors of one building. Large worksites should have proper communication channel for first aid provision. To ensure the safety of employees working away from main site, analyze the hazards involved and plan first aid for them accordingly.
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Job or task-specific significant hazards: Identify the potential hazardous substances, machines, tools, and places of worksites. The safety training program and number of first aid providers will depend on the likelihood of an employee being hurt by these hazards.
What first aid facilities needed at workplaces?
After completing workplace first aid needs assessment, employers can identify the type of equipment and number of first aiders needed by the company. All workplace should have first aid kits and first aid room. Employers must keep a record and report minor accidents and incidents wherein someone is injured seriously. First aid provision at any workplace must include people who are undertaking internships, contractors, volunteers, or others who could be harmed while at the worksite.
All employees must be given information about first aid available in the workplace. Employees can also take first aid training from first aid training providers as this will help them to provide first aid to colleagues who get injured at work.
