HSE Update First Aid Guidance

The HSE has updated two publications dealing with first aid at work. The revisions focus on expanding and simplifying the existing guidance and are not in response to any change in the law or what is required to comply with the law.

‘First aid at work: guidance on regulations’ concerns the regulations and requirements for first aid in work environments. Three key changes include:

• Expanded detail on the responsibilities employers have when considering the mental health of their employees in first aid needs assessments, particularly with regard to the benefits of having a first aider trained in identifying mental illness symptoms
• Changing the term ‘catastrophic bleeding’ to life-threatening bleeding’ to better specify and provide additional guidance with this specific risk
• Finally, the guidance regarding what first aid to provide has been simplified to make it more understandable

This document is free to download from the HSE’s website.

‘Selecting a first aid training provider: A guide for employers’ has also been generally simplified to clarify what employers need to consider when selecting a training provider. This can be downloaded from the HSE’s website.

If you have any questions or would like support with managing issues at your workplace, please speak to your usual contact or get in touch using the form below.