There is no number in the law. That surprises most people who ring us asking for one.
What the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations actually require is that an employer provides adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel. What counts as adequate for a warehouse is not what counts as adequate for an office, and the regulations leave that judgement with you.
The way you make that judgement is a first aid needs assessment.
What the needs assessment looks at
It is a written record of your reasoning, and it does not need to be long. The things that shape the answer:
- The nature of the work and the hazards in it
- How many people are on site, including at your busiest
- Your accident history
- Whether people work alone, off site, or in remote areas
- Shift patterns, night working, and holiday cover
- How far you are from the nearest A&E
- Whether members of the public are on the premises
- Employees with health conditions or disabilities that may need specific provision
Two of those catch employers out more than the rest. Cover is the first: one trained first aider is one trained first aider only when they are actually in the building. Holidays, sickness and shifts mean you need more than the minimum on paper. Public access is the second: your duty under the regulations is to your employees, but if the public are on your premises, HSE expects you to consider them too.
The figures HSE suggests as a starting point
HSE publishes suggested numbers as guidance, not as a rule. They are a sensible place to begin, and your assessment may well land somewhere different.
For low hazard workplaces such as offices, shops and libraries:
- 1. Fewer than 25 employees: at least one appointed person
- 2. 25 to 50 employees: at least one person trained in Emergency First Aid at Work
- 3. More than 50 employees: at least one person trained in First Aid at Work for every 100 employed, or part thereof
For higher hazard workplaces such as light engineering, warehousing, food processing, construction and chemical work:
- 1. Fewer than 5 employees: at least one appointed person
- 2. 5 to 50 employees: at least one first aider, trained in EFAW or FAW depending on the injuries that could realistically occur
- 3. More than 50 employees: at least one FAW trained first aider for every 50 employed, or part thereof
An appointed person is not a first aider
Worth being clear on, because the terms get used interchangeably and they are not the same thing.
An appointed person takes charge when someone is injured or ill, looks after the first aid equipment, and calls the emergency services. They do not need first aid training and they must not be relied upon to give treatment.
A first aider holds a current FAW or EFAW certificate and can actually treat someone.
If your assessment says you need first aiders, an appointed person does not satisfy it.
The commonest failure we see is not too few first aiders. It is enough first aiders on the org chart and nobody trained on the back shift.
Specific risks change the answer
Certain hazards mean specific training on top of the headcount:
- Sites with defibrillators need people confident using them, which is covered in our courses as standard
- Work with hazardous chemicals may need training in specific antidotes or procedures
- Remote or lone workers often need a personal first aid kit and a means of raising the alarm
Where to start
Write the assessment down, decide the number, then book the training around your shift pattern rather than around the course calendar. We deliver on site anywhere in Scotland and the north of England, so a team can be trained together without losing a day travelling.
If you would rather talk it through than read another guidance page, give us a ring.
