Under the Health and Safety First Aid Regulations, it is necessary to make sure that you provide adequate first aid facilities and personnel in your organisation. The regulations apply to all businesses, even those that employ fewer than five people.
You must establish if you need to provide first aid training to personnel as well as decide what is required in the first aid box and if you need to have a dedicated room to provide treatment. In order to decide what you need to do to ensure the first aid at your place of work is adequate, you must first conduct a first aid risk assessment.
Consider the risks that are present, the size of your business, the number of employees and what you need to provide based on your findings.
Self-Employed Must Provide Adequate First Aid Too
If you are self-employed you will also need to consider first aid and decide what you will need to provide treatment to yourself if needed. Those working from home will most likely only require basic first aid equipment, if the job is clerical. If the work you do involves travelling you will need a first aid kit that can travel with you at all times. For those who have very little knowledge when it comes to first aid risk assessments it's a good idea to attend a first aid course.
There are many first aid courses that will give you the information you need to ensure your facilities are adequate. You may also need to provide the training to other people in your organisation who will be given first aid roles, such as appointed persons. The courses will provide you and your employees with basic skills that may be required if anyone falls ill or is injured while at work. The regulations don't stipulate that you have to provide first aid to the public but it is always worth taking them into consideration with your assessment. Although it isn't a legal requirement it is good for your customer service and your own morals not to ignore these types of problems should they occur.