The HSE has published guidance to help businesses put appropriate arrangements in place for the provision of first aid, a month ahead of changes to first aid regulations.
From 1 October, the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 will be amended, to remove the requirement for HSE to approve first aid training and qualifications.
This amendment follows recommendations from the Löfstedt report, which noted that “this requirement seems to have little justification provided the training meets a certain standard”. Following these recommendations it became clear that the HSE approval process went beyond the minimum requirement laid out within EU legislation.
HSE’s policy lead for first aid, Andy McGrory, said: “From October, the HSE will no longer approve first-aid training and qualifications. The guidance documents clarify what the law requires and provide practical help to businesses in assessing and understanding their first aid needs.
“Where a first aider is required, the guidance documents make it clear that the employer is free to select a training provider who is best suited to those needs.”
L74 is aimed at all industries and takes account of the amendment to regulation 3(2), which removes the requirement for HSE to approve the training and qualifications of appointed first-aid personnel, and incorporates additional amendments brought about by previous legislative changes.
GEIS3 will help employers identify and select a competent training provider to deliver any first-aid training indicated by their first aid needs assessment.
Following two public consultations, the last of which ended in May 2013, these legislative changes have been approved by the HSE board and by Parliament.
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