First aid from 1 October

New guidance has been published by the HSE to help businesses put in place appropriate arrangements for the provision of first aid.

From 1 October 2013, the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 will be amended, to remove the requirement for the HSE to approve first aid training and qualifications.

The changes are part of HSE’s work to make it easier for businesses and other users to understand how to comply with health and safety law, while maintaining standards. They apply to businesses of all sizes and from all sectors.

Copies of the amended Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, Regulations and Guidance (L74) and Selecting a first-aid training provider (GEIS3) are now available on the HSE website — follow the links below.

The L74 booklet is aimed at all industries and takes account of the amendment to regulation 3(2), which removes the requirement for HSE to approve the training and qualifications of appointed first-aid personnel, and incorporates some additional amendments brought about by other previous legislative changes.

www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l74.pdf

www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/geis3.pdf