Red Cross warns against first aid complacency
The British Red Cross has warned that employers will have more responsibility to ensure the quality of their first-aid training provider, from the beginning of October.
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 will be amended on 1 October to remove the requirement for the HSE to approve first aid training and qualifications, putting more burden on the employer.
Employers will still be required by law to provide adequate and appropriate equipment and personnel to provide assistance to injured or ill colleagues, and provide trained first aiders based on their own needs assessment.
Head of first aid for British Red Cross, Joe Mulligan, said: “We support the freedom of choice for employers, but some may not consider themselves experts in ensuring that the standard of first aid training is sufficient.
“The health and safety landscape is changing but this does not remove risk or accountability for workplace accidents. We would caution against anyone viewing changes to the training market as implying that first aid somehow becomes less important or less serious.
“First aid skills can help to save lives and prevent minor accidents and illnesses becoming more serious.”
Guidance documents have been issued by the HSE to clarify legal requirements and provide practical help to businesses in assessing and understanding their first aid needs.
Employers are free to select a training provider that best suits their needs but they must also ensure the first aid practices being taught are correct and up-to-date.
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Red Cross warns against first aid complacency
The British Red Cross has warned that employers will have more responsibility to ensure the quality of their first-aid training provider, from the beginning of October.
Safety & Health Practitioner
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I agree with John. I believe that some employers will see this as a means of reducing training cost, by condensing to one day. I also believe this will lower standards in first aid in the workplace.
I totally agree with Melvyn. Also, Red Cross, St john Ambulance and the like won’t like that fact that the HSE will no longer recognise their own “in-house” trainer qualifications after 1st October 2015. This is a long overdue standard that needed to be set.
This happened in New Zealand about 5 years ago. While there are some very qualified and capable trainers out there we found that the training started to be shortened so that the two day comprehensive training became one day condensed and some even have computer based training. Unless there is a minimum standard and an organisation to ensure this is maintained it will be open to a lowering of standards. I think health and safety laws are going too far putting everything back on the employer.
Not sure I share Melvyn’s view entirely – although it is fair to suggest there is now healthier competition between training providers.
There is however now a real need for due diligence from employers and H&S teams to ensure that their chosen provider has real credibility and experience. Much the same as we would choose a service from a trades person /retailer, you do some research and choose the best service for your budget..
Deciding factors:
1. Background
2. Professional status
I think that the Red Cross and the likes are afraid of loosing their monopoly to smaller concerns. I have employed very good one man companies to provide first aid training that are far superior than the red cross.