Are your First Aid Kits fully stocked? Do they comply with the Code of Practice for First Aid Kits?
Most employers are aware of the requirement to have a First Aid Kit at the workplace. However, it is often overlooked that multilevel offices should have a kit on each floor and that a vehicle or remote office is also classed as a workplace and should have a complying First Aid Kit for staff who travel during the course of their work or anyone that works remotely (eg from home).
Employers must provide First Aid facilities that are adequate for the immediate treatment of injuries that arise at the place of work.The WHS Regulations place specific obligations on employers in relation to first aid. Employers must ensure:
- First Aid facilities include a First Aid Kit appropriate for the number of employees on each site and work environment;
- That First Aid Kits are maintained in proper condition and the contents are replenished as necessary;
- First Aid Kits have regular checks to ensure the contents are as listed and have not deteriorated or expired;
- That an adequate number of workers are trained to administer first aid at the workplace or that workers have access to an adequate number of other people who have been trained to administer first aid. eg one first aider for 10 to 50 workers in a low risk workplace.
First Aid Kits should:
- Be maintained in proper condition and the contents replenished as necessary;
- Should have regular checks to ensure the contents are as listed and have not deteriorated or expired;
- Have a white cross on a green background with the words 'First Aid' prominently displayed on the outside;
- Kits should also be portable and be made of material that will protect the contents from dust, moisture and contamination;
- Be located at points convenient to the work force and where there is a risk of injury occurring.
First aid requirements will vary from one workplace to the next, depending on the nature of the work, the type of hazards, the workplace size and location, as well as the number of people at the workplace. These factors must be taken into account when deciding what first aid arrangements need to be provided.