First-Aid Needs Assessment

Title Page

Site conducted
Conducted on
Conducted by
Location

Information

This assessment of first-aid needs is appropriate to the circumstances (hazards and risks) of the workplace aims to reduce the effects of injury or illness suffered at work, whether caused by the work itself or not.
First-aid provision must be ‘adequate and appropriate to the circumstances, this means that sufficient first-aid equipment, facilities and personnel should be available at all times, taking account of alternative working patterns, to:

• Give immediate assistance to casualties with both common injuries or illnesses and to those likely to arise from specific hazards at work;
• Summon an ambulance or other professional help.

The following should be considered:

• The nature of the work and workplace hazards and risks
• The nature of the workforce
• The organisation’s history of accidents
• The size of the organisation
• The needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
• Work patterns
• The distribution of the workforce
• The remoteness of the site from emergency medical services
• Employees working on shared or multi-occupied sites
• Annual leave and other absences of first-aiders and appointed persons
• First-aid provision for non-employees.

Checklist for assessment of First-Aid needs

Q1. Does your workplace have low-level hazards such as those that might be found in offices and shops?
The minimum provision is an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements and a suitably stocked first-aid box.
Q2. Does your workplace have higher-level hazards such as chemicals or dangerous machinery?<br>
You should consider:

• Providing first-aiders
• Providing additional training for first-aiders to deal with injuries resulting from special hazards
• Providing a suitably stocked first-aid box
• Providing additional first aid equipment
• Precise location of first-aid equipment
• Providing a first-aid room
• Informing the emergency services of specific hazards etc in advance.
Q3. Do your work activities involve special hazards such as hydrofluoric acid or confined spaces?
You should consider:

• Providing first-aiders
• Providing additional training for first-aiders to deal with injuries resulting from special hazards
• Providing a suitably stocked first-aid box
• Providing additional first aid equipment
• Precise location of first-aid equipment
• Providing a first-aid room
• Informing the emergency services of specific hazards etc in advance.
Q4. How many people are employed on-site?
Where there are small numbers of employees, the minimum provision is:

• An appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements
• A suitably stocked first-aid box.
Where there are large numbers of employees, ie more than 25, even in low-hazard environments, you should consider providing:

• First-aiders
• Additional first-aid equipment
• A first-aid room.
Q5. Are there inexperienced workers on site, or employees with disabilities or particular health problems?
You should consider:

• Additional training for first-aiders
• Additional first-aid equipment
• Local siting of first-aid equipment
• Your first-aid provision should cover any work experience trainees.
Q6. What is your record of accidents and ill health?
Q6.1 What injuries and illnesses have occurred and where did they happen?
Q7. Do you have employees who travel a lot, work remotely or work alone?
You should consider:

• Issuing personal first-aid kits
• Issuing personal communicators/mobile phones to employees.
Q8. Do any of your employees work shifts or out-of-hours?
You should ensure there is adequate first-aid provision at all times people are at work.
Q9. Are the premises spread out, eg are there several buildings on the site or multi-floor buildings?
You should consider the need for provision in each building or on each floor.
Q10. Is your workplace remote from emergency medical services?
You should:

• Inform the emergency services of your location
• Consider special arrangements with the emergency services
• Consider emergency transport requirements.
Q11. Do any of your employees work at sites occupied by other employers?
You should make arrangements with other site occupiers to ensure adequate provision of first aid. A written agreement between employers is strongly recommended.
Q12. Do you have sufficient provision to cover absences of first aiders or appointed persons?
You should consider:

• What cover is needed for annual leave and other planned absences?
• What cover is needed for unplanned and exceptional absences?
Q13. Do members of the public or nonemployees visit your premises?
Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, you have no legal duty to provide first aid for non-employees but the HSE strongly recommends that you include them in your first-aid provision.

Record of First-Aid provisions

First-aid personnel

Using the information gathered from the Checklist for assessment of First Aid needs, the record of First Aid provision can be decided and recorded in the next section in-line with Appendix 1.

For further information review The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, guidance Leaftel 74 on the HSE website.

Appendix 1, Suggested numbers of first-aid personnel to be available at all times people are at work.

Note: The minimum first-aid provision for each worksite is:

• A person appointed to take charge of first-aid arrangements.
• A suitably stocked first-aid kit.
• Information for all employees about what they need to do in case of an emergency.
Appointed person?
Number of Appointed persons.
First-aider with an emergency first aid at work certificate?
Number of First-aiders with an emergency first aid at work certificates.
First-aider with a first aid at work certificate
Number of First-aiders with a first aid at work certificate.
First-aider with additional training<br>
Please specify numbers and additional training

First-aid equipment and facilities

Number of First Aid kits on-site
Are first aid kits in a dust and damp-proof first-aid containers?
First aid kit contents checked regularly?
Additional equipment (specify), eg foil blankets, eye wash bottles, shears, microporous tape, tourniquets, haemostatic dressings, in date?
Defibrillator on-site
Travelling first-aid kit required ?
Number available.
First-aid room?
Why is there no first aid room?