The Compliance Code for First Aid in the Workplace falls under the responsibility of WorkSafe Victoria. Every business or organisation in Victoria must follow the requirements of this Code.
The Code provides employers with practical guidelines in accordance with the duties they have under the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 and the Occupational Health & Safety Regulations 2017.
In essence the purpose of the Code aligns with the basic purpose of all Workplace Health & Safety requirements which essentially mandate that employers need to provide a safe work environment for their employees. A purpose everyone would agree with.
Under the Code – First Aid in the Workplace is defined as “the provision of initial health care and basic life support for people who suffer an injury or illness at work. The goals of first aid are to preserve life, alleviate suffering, prevent further illness or injury, and promote recovery.”
First Aid arrangements in your workplace covered by the Code include:
· First Aid needs assessment
· First Aid officers and their training requirements
· First Aid kit contents, location and maintenance
· First Aid rooms
· First Aid equipment, and
· First Aid procedures.
The Code also dictates the minimum number of people you need to have trained in CPR and/or First Aid in your organisation which can depend on the type of industry you are in, the risks involved in running your business and other factors.
For Low Risk workplaces, you need to have 1 First Aid Officer for 10 – 50 employees, 2 First Aid Officers for 51 – 100 employees and an additional First Aid Officer for every extra 100 employees.
In High Risk workplaces, you need to have 1 First Aid Officer for up to 25 employees, 2 First Aid Officers for 25 – 50 employees and an additional First Aid Officer for every extra 50 employees.
While these are the recommendations for the minimum number of people who need to be trained, there is an overriding compliance that you need to have at least a minimum of 1 trained first aid officer on site AT ALL TIMES. Which means the only practical way to ensure that you cover all possible contingencies such as people being away on annual leave or sick leave, public holidays, shift work schedules etc is to have not 1 but 3 people trained in First Aid for every ratio above.
That is the only practical way to ensure that you will always have someone trained in First Aid available at all times. Remember the penalties that apply should an accident occur and serious injury or death result and there was no one on site trained in First Aid are quite severe.
The Code also covers important points like whether you need volunteers or patrons of your organisation need to also be trained in First Aid.
For more information on the Code or to download a copy, please visit https://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/resources/compliance-code-first-aid-workplace
If you would like any advice on the Code or assistance with your company’s first aid training please call us on 1300 661 065 or visit our website at https://www.resultsfirstaid.com/book