First Aid in the Workplace
First aid training is essential in the workplace, enabling your employees to take care of their own safety and that of their colleagues. A first aid training course can equip your team to identify and deal with minor injuries and conditions, preventing serious injuries and even fatalities in your organisation. In Ireland, it is mandatory to have at least one occupational first aider in the workplace at all times for up to 99 employees, although leading businesses find that the benefits of training more of their workforce in first aid are significant. You may require more trained first aiders if you are managing a high-risk workplace or your work involves additional hazards.
At ASM, we offer a range of health and safety training courses, including first responder training, which is relevant across all industries. Taking a proactive approach to health and safety means enabling your workforce to take up training opportunities and apply their knowledge to their daily work in order to protect themselves, other people and the business itself.
First Aid Provision in Your Workplace
Ensuring that your employees and your business are well protected will require you to have a comprehensive health and safety plan in place throughout your organisation. This will involve a multi-strand approach that begins with an assessment or audit of your current first aid provision and the areas in which this could be improved. You will need to consider access to emergency services and the potential hazards in your workplace, as well as factors such as the number of employees and the number of staff members who are already trained first aiders.
You should have at least one trained first aider on shift at all times, depending on the size of your organisation, and all employees should be aware of who the first aider is at any given time. Regular practices will help to ensure that all employees know what to do and who to contact in an emergency situation, which will reduce wasted time if an accident or emergency occurs. This should also identify any gaps in training and highlight areas that need refreshing.
You should be aware of your first aid kit provision at work and have complete first aid kits in key locations throughout your workplace. These will need to be checked and restocked regularly, ensuring that all items are in date and good condition. You should ensure that you have all of the required items for a workplace first aid kit and that your employees know how to use these.
First Aid Training for Your Employees
As a business owner or manager, you are legally obliged to provide effective and comprehensive health and safety training for your employees, and this includes first aid training where relevant. It is not mandatory for all employees to be trained as first aid responders, but it is essential that a trained first aider is always available in the workplace.
First aid training can help your employees feel confident in their work and the workplace, boosting team morale and improving your reputation as an employer who cares. We all hope that accidents will not happen in the workplace, but sometimes these are unavoidable and ensuring that you have trained first aiders on site can minimise the risk of tragic outcomes and ensure that you have done your duty as an employer to protect your team and your organisation.
Training as a First Aid Responder
Our First Aid Responder training is a 3-day course which will equip attendees with the essential practical skills, knowledge and confidence to diagnose and treat injuries and illness and to provide effective life support or maintain care of a casualty until the arrival of emergency medical services.
The training course includes:
- Training in the use of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)
- CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation) skills
- Patient assessment
- Correct incident procedures
- Common medical emergencies
- Injury management and shock
- Care of an unconscious patient
- Burns and electrical injury care
- Hypothermia and hyperthermia
- Information management
- Communications
- Well-being of a First Aid Responder
- Pre-hospital emergency care
The courses are assessed by an MCQ test and skills assessment, and the highest quality training is assured. Regularly updating your first aid knowledge and skills is important, and training must be current in order to satisfy legal requirements.
First Aid Responder Beginner Training is especially designed for employees who wish to become qualified First Aiders at work. This is an opportunity to develop the skills and knowledge required to deal with emergency situations effectively, and provides peace of mind to your employees and you in your role of responsibility for the workplace.
Health and Safety Training Courses in Ireland
At ASM, we offer Health and Safety training across Ireland, and we have many years of experience in this industry. We offer First Aid training and specialised high-risk training courses, and we have a highly skilled team of Health and Safety Consultants who can carry out audits, gap analyses and risk assessments within your organisation to ensure legal compliance and high standards of health and safety provision throughout your business.
Our team of Health and Safety Consultants in Ireland can work with you to identify what your business needs to keep your employees, members of the public and your business safe. Give us a call or contact us today to talk with our expert team and find out more about how we can safeguard your business together.
