WORKPLACE FIRST AID ROOMS OR AREAS

What should a first aid room or area include?

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You should consider your workplace’s specific hazards when choosing your first aid equipment and supplies as well as the size of your workplace and the number of employees in each area. A suitable first aid room(s) should be provided where your needs assessment identifies this as necessary.

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The Health and Safety guidance contains examples of the equipment and facilities a workplace first aid room, or designated safe first aid area, may contain, such as:

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• First aid signs, advising of the names, locations and, if appropriate telephone extensions of first aiders and how to contact them

• A sink with hot and cold running water

• Drinking water with disposable cups

• Soap and paper towels

• A store for first aid materials, such as a first aid cabinet

• Appropriately stocked portable first aid kit(s), we recommend your first aiders should be able to get a first aid kit and reach a casualty within 60 seconds. To find out how many kits your workplace requires please see the Workplace First Aid Kit buying guide.

• Foot operated refuse containers, lined with disposable, yellow clinical waste bags or a container suitable for the safe disposal of clinical waste

• An examination / medical couch with waterproof protection and clean pillows and blankets (a paper couch roll may be used that is changed between casualties)

• A telephone or other communication equipment

• A record book for recording incidents attended by a first aider or appointed person.

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Work-Site With More Than One Employer In a work-site (e.g. a construction site) where employees of different employers are working together, Act 514 requires the principal employer to provide and maintain safe systems of work which include provisions for adequate and appropriate first-aider, first-aid box, first-aid room and first-aid equipment. However, the relevant employers may make arrangement whereby one of them agrees to provide adequate and appropriate first-aider, first-aid box, first-aid room and first-aid equipment to comply with the above guidelines. The agreement should be recorded in writing and a copy of the agreement should be kept by each employer concerned

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Recommended Facilities For A First-Aid Room The following should be provided in a first-aid room:

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1. First aid box

2. Sink with tap water

3. Antiseptic hand wash soap

4. Paper towels

5. An examination/treatment couch with pillow & blanket

6. Portable stretchers

7. Splints (upper & lower limbs)

8. Disposable plastic apron

9. Separate disposable waterproof waste bag/basket for hazardous & non-hazardous materials

10. Spinal immobilization equipment (cervical collar, spinal board)

11. Torch light

12. Chairs for waiting room

13. Cupboard for storing first aid equipment (as in the first aid box) for top up purposes

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