Accidents and first-aid

If you're an employer and depending on your own circumstances you must:

• provide adequate first-aid equipment and facilities
• provide a suitable number of qualified first-aiders
• appoint a person to take charge where first-aiders are temporarily absent or the provision of first-aiders is not necessary
• tell staff what first-aid provisions you have made – including the location of any equipment or facilities and the identity of the first-aider(s) or nominated person(s).

Some accidents may need to be reported to the relevant Enforcing Authority, with certain records being kept.

If you have ten or more employees you must keep details of any accidents to employees for industrial injury benefit purposes. This is usually in the form of an Accident Book (BI 510).

Typical arrangements include:

• completing a first-aid needs assessment to decide what is needed
• appointing a person(s) to take charge of first-aid arrangements
• providing a suitably stocked first-aid box
• providing an adequate number of trained first-aiders
• providing additional training for first-aiders where there are special hazards
• checking that employees and others know the precise location of first-aid equipment and identities of nominated persons or first-aiders
• informing the emergency services of specific hazards etc. in advance
• issuing personal first-aid kits
• issuing personal communicators or mobile phones to employees
• ensuring adequate first-aid cover for annual leave or other absences (planned, unplanned or otherwise)*.

*Note: this list is not exhaustive

For more information about accidents and first-aid, why not download our guide.