Does my company have to have an on-call first aid system?
If an employee becomes unwell or has a work accident, first aid can be a matter of life or death. As an employer, you are responsible for providing this first aid. How do you prepare for this? And who is allowed to administer first aid?
When is the presence of a trained first-aider mandatory?
On-call first aid is in principle always mandatory. Who is responsible for it and the required level of training depend on the size of the company and the risks.
In companies with fewer than 20 employees (group D), a designated employee with basic first aid skills is always present.
In organisations in groups A, B and C, with more than 20 employees, one or more trained first-aiders are always present. You can use employees with various profiles for this:
qualified nurses;
first-aiders who have completed a 20-hour course at an accredited training centre;
other designated employees who have completed a 4-hour basic course at an accredited training centre.
As an employer, it’s up to you to decide, together with the occupational health physician, how many first-aiders you should have and what level of training they need. Consider the risks in the workplace and the number of employees present in your organisation at any one time.
What’s the minimum level of assistance you should provide?
Every employer, regardless of the type of organisation, must:
be able to provide quick and expert assistance;
arrange transportation to the first aid room or to a local doctor or hospital;
Contact specialised assistance when necessary.
Depending on the risk level of the activities within your organisation, you may need to take additional measures. A risk assessment will make it clear what first aid should be available. How you organise this is documented in the internal emergency plan, and the internal or external occupational health and safety service and/or the occupational physician can help you with this.
Providing rapid first aid
Organising first aid in your company? These five steps will help you get started.
Want to give your employees the right training right away?