Employers Must Keep Up with These Important Changes to First Aid at Work Regulations

Employers need to know that imminent changes to the rules governing first aid at work are coming. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are encouraging businesses to provide first aid for employees by re-launching its accredited first aid courses.

As the UK's leading independent first aid training provider First Response are informing businesses throughout the UK of the imminent changes to the rules governing first aid at work.

Darren Eden, Managing Director of First Response said "All organisations are required to provide appropriate first aid equipment and trained personnel in the event of an employee becoming ill or injured at work."

For low risk environments such as shops and offices that employ fewer than 50 people it is recommended that there should be one first aider, whereas in a high risk category such as construction, manufacturing or chemical handling there should be at least an additional first aider for every 50 employed.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are encouraging businesses to provide first aid for employees by re-launching its accredited first aid courses. From the 1st October 2009 the current 4-day First Aid at Work course will be replaced by a 3-day course and a new Emergency First Aid at Work 1-day course will be introduced to replace Appointed Persons training.

For both courses the HSE strongly recommends that all first aiders do an annual Basic Skills Update. For re-qualification every 3 years the 2-day refresher course remains the same.

To ensure that businesses have appropriate first aid procedures in place, businesses are advised to contact First Response on freephone 0800 310 2300 or to visit http://www.firstresponsetraining.com