Without the first aiders, all those first aid kits and Work Health and Safety regulations are useless things that cannot help anybody. Only in the hands of a skilled and trained first aider, they get to serve their purpose and even save lives.
Being a designated first aider does not mean that you will have more to do on a daily basis. Your job description remains the same.
Your role is active only when an emergency happens. In that case, all heads turn to you and everybody follows your directions.
You get to be the first one that treats a burn, dresses a wound, performs CPR or even uses a defibrillator on a colleague in grave danger. It feels good to know that you can help the people you meet every day when they are in trouble – using your skills and training.
Still, to do a proper job, you need a fully stocked first aid kit and other supplies that are compliant with the WHS Act.
Does Your Workplace Even Need a First Aider?
This depends on several factors. These factors include:
The size of your company
Larger companies will need more certified first aiders. Providing proper first aid can make all the difference between life and death. So, you need to have enough first aiders so that every employee can be helped in the case of an emergency in a matter of minutes or even seconds.
Number and location of your employees
More people present at your building means more first aiders needed. The same goes if your building is designed so that employees are scattered in remote parts.
Type of work your company does
Light office work with a small number of employees means that first aiders are not essential for your workplace. On the other hand, a high-risk workplace requires more trained people.
The proximity of medical services
If you have an emergency medical facility nearby, your need for the trained staff is very much reduced.
Shift work and sick days
When organising first aiders, think about your shifts. There should always be one first aider available. Also, consider the fact that some of the first aiders will be absent from work at times and that somebody else has to replace them during that period.
Things You Need to Know About First Aid Training
Being a first aider is a serious job, so not just anybody can be assigned this duty. You need to be properly trained by organisations accredited by New Zealand Qualifications Authority. There are several things you need to know about your training:
- It can last 8 or 12 hours plus an assessment
- The certificate is valid for 2 years
- A refresher course is obligatory after 2 years
- A first aider must repeat the full course again if 3 months elapsed since the certificate expiry
Duties of a First Aider
According to the WorkSafe website statistics, one in four workers reports that they had a serious work-related injury in the past 12 months.
This means that the first aiders are quite busy and very much needed. In order to do their job properly, first aiders need their training in first aid. Among other things, they need to know:
- the location and the contents of all first aid kits
- the location of AEDs and how to use them
- how to use protective equipment in order to protect themselves while helping others
- cooperate with the PCBU
- provide reasonable care to those in danger
It is hard to be a trained first aider in a company that does not take care of its first aid kits. All the first aid kits need to comply with the WHS Act and they need to be regularly and properly maintained.
Is that a job for a first aider? No. That is a job for Alsco.
Call 0800 4 ALSCO right now or contact us online. Our representatives will tell you everything about our first aid rental service. For a great price, we will bring you all the kits and AEDs you need and maintain them regularly.
Photo Courtesy: Flickr Image by ** RB **
