First aid at work eBulletin

Vickie Chatterton

Pass Point Training Ltd

Training Provider, Health & Safety Consultant, First aid Consultant, E Learning Consultant

Welcome to the HSE March 2015 First aid eBulletin

This ebulletin informs duty holders on matters that affect workplace first aid under the Health and Safety (First-aid) Regulations 1981 and the Offshore installations and pipeline works (first-aid) regulations 1989.

Defibrillator awareness training

In-depth training in the use of automated external defibrillators (AEDs) is not currently part of either the Emergency First Aid at Work and First Aid at Work courses. However, HSE welcomes the presence of awareness training in these courses as it instils greater confidence in the use of AEDs. For more information please see our website.

Number of FAW and EFAW certificates issued since deregulation

Since the 1 October 2013 at least 274,000 people have been trained in FAW and at least 558,000 have been trained in EFAW. This means that in the last 24 months at least 832,000 people now hold a workplace first aid qualification.

The Importance of Annual Refresher Training of First Aiders

HSE in our guidance strongly recommends employers ensure their first aiders receive annual refresher training. These courses are of very short duration ie less than half a day. The reason for refreshing these skills annually is that it helps maintain their competency until they re-qualify. So as an employer if you wish to minimise this risk and maintain your first aiders competency consider introducing annual refresher training if you haven’t done so already.

News form Other Government Departments on First Aid Department of Education Announcement on Paediatric First Aid

On 12 March, the Childcare Minister Sam Gyimah announced proposals to make it a requirement that newly qualified early years staff (with a level 2 or level 3 childcare qualification) will have to have a paediatric first aid or emergency paediatric first aid certificate before they can be included in the required adult: child ratios in an early years setting. This proposal will be subject to consultation after the election, but it is expected that this change will take effect from September 2016. There will also be a new special award – to be known as ‘Millie’s Mark’ – to be displayed by nurseries who have achieved gold-standard paediatric first aid provision. Early years providers will also be able to take advantage of a scheme previously only open to schools to purchase automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at a reduced price. For more information please see the Department of Education press release.