First Aid Officers

First aid officers must undertake an appropriate first aid training course conducted by a competent body or person. The skills and knowledge may vary with each type of workplace, and first aid officers may be required to have additional skills and knowledge to deal with the likely type and severity of injuries and illnesses. The employer should ensure that an appropriate number of suitably trained officers is provided.

	one officer for	two officers for	+ 1 additional officer for
Low risk workplaces	25 to 50 employees	51 – 100 employees	each addn 100 employees
High risk workplaces	up to 25 employees	25 - 50 employees	each additional 50 employees

Note: In workplaces with no specific hazards or high level risks and where there is less than 25 employees, a risk assessment should be conducted to determine the need to have a first aid officer taking into account:

the size and layout of the workplace
access to trained first aid officers or other first aid services (first aid for shopping malls)
the location of the workplace and the distance to the nearest available ambulance or medical services

First aid officers required skills and competencies		Check it
Overall application of first aid	provide appropriate initial treatment for injuries and illnesses know when to call emergency services for assistance and advice follow advice and directions given by emergency services personnel maintain contents of first aid kits record details of first aid treatments given provide appropriate reports to management
Life threatening emergencies, major wounds and infection control	provide emergency life saving treatment as required e.g CPR control major wounds and bleeds effectively manage medical emergencies e.g Asthma, Diabetes and Epilepsy effectively manage potential head, neck and spinal injuries effectively minimise the spread of infection when treating wounds and handling contaminated waste dispose of contaminated waste safely and appropriately
First aid officer capabilities	recognise common illnesses and their symptoms provide appropriate care for an unconscious person move and transport injured persons safely manage emergency situations involving numbers of casualties, potential casualties and bystanders maintain the first aid room and first aid kits in a state of readiness skills and knowledge acquired and demonstrated should be stated on the first aid certificate received following completion of training employer should ensure that first aid officers’ qualifications remain current, and indicate a sufficient level of skills and knowledge for dealing with the type of injury risks likely to occur in the workplace

Further Information

Approved Codes of Practice
Occupational Health and Safety Code of Practice 2008 Part 2: First Aid

Further Information Other Guidance Material
ASCC Index of National Standards, Codes of Practice and related Guidance Notes

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Page last updated:August 29, 2008

First Aid Officers

First aid officers required skills and competencies