First Aid in the Workplace – How Many First Aiders Do We Need?
First Aid in the Workplace – How Many First Aiders Do We Need?
Ensuring there are proper means for people to receive first aid is an important step for clubs to take to ensure that they are meeting their obligations under the Work Health and Safety Act 2012 (SA) (WHS Act) which will apply to all clubs that employ one or more paid staff.
Purely volunteer run clubs will also have duties of care to prevent foreseeable harm and injury under common law.
When determining how many first aiders are required, the answer will not be the same for everyone and a club should do a risk assessment and determine what is reasonable given the types of risks that exist at the club, opening hours, amount of people present at any time etc.
As a guide however, SafeWork SA suggests having at least one first aider for:
- every 50 workers in a low-risk workplace;
- every 25 workers in a high-risk workplace; and
- every 10 workers in a remote high-risk workplace.
Regarding what is meant by either a low or high-risk workplace, this will be the following:
- High-risk: A workplace where workers are exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness and would require first aid e.g. there is hazardous machinery, having to deal with aggressive customers, cash handling, working alone at night etc.
- Low-risk: A workplace where workers are less likely to be exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness.
In deciding who should undertake first aid training or be designated as a first aid officer, it would be a good idea to select someone who is often present at the club, especially on busy days. If possible and reasonable it would also be good to have multiple people with training to increase the likelihood of at least one person being present with first aid qualifications whenever the club is open. Appropriate first aid procedures and emergency response plans are also important.
If a club elects designated first aid officers who will be called on in an emergency to administer first aid, they will need to be aware that this will likely mean any employee selected will be entitled to a first aid allowance. If the employee was covered by the Clubs Award, then clause 19.2(a)-(b) details information on the first aid allowance. It is important to note however that this clause does not mean anyone with first aid training gets an allowance and they must also be formally appointed as the clubs first aid officer / attendant.
There also needs to be an adequate first aid kit at the club and as well as having basic equipment for administering first aid it should also have other more specific equipment based on the risks present. For example, if there is the risk of burns in a kitchen then items to help people with serious burns would be a reasonable thing to expect.
Appropriate signs should also be placed indicating where the first aid kit is kept as well as other important first aid equipment such as an Automated External Defibrillator (AED).
Clubs can look at the first aid in the workplace code of practice for more detailed information.
