First aid

Employers are obliged by law to provide first aid facilities under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 (First Aid Regulations).

New first aid training and approval arrangements came into force on 1 October 2009. The mandatory four-day training course was reduced to three days and there is also now a one-day option for small businesses. All qualified first aiders still have to attend a two-day requalification course every three years.

The guidance also suggests that refresher training taken annually would be beneficial to first aiders and their employers (www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid).