First Aid Responsibilities at Work in Australia

Workplace first aid kit and AED defibrillator on site

If you manage a workplace, then you should know your responsibilities when it comes to first aid.

In this post, we’re going to outline your duties around the provision of first aid kits, facilities and staff training so that your workplace is a safe place to be.

It will help you assess and plan your needs so that you can be sure you have fulfilled your obligations as a manager or employer.

Are you responsible?

It first helps to understand why you are responsible for first aid obligations at work. Safe Work Australia says that if you’re a “person conducting a business or undertaking,” or PCBU for short, then you have specific first aid responsibilities at work.

And other people in your organisation have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety at work, according to the Work Health and Safety Act.

What do these responsibilities mean?

Your responsibilities as a PCBU fall into three areas. You should provide access to the following things:

At least one first aid kit
Facilities for first aid
Trained first aiders

The rules say you should provide access to these things — and it’s important to understand that this means at all times and in all work locations.

So first aid kits, facilities and first aiders must be accessible outside normal working hours, for example on night shifts and when employees are working overtime, and when they are working at locations that are different from their normal workplace.

So what should I do now?

It’s a really good idea to start with a first aid assessment, so you know what you need to add to your workplace to make it safe.

You can find a sample risk assessment in the Safe Work Australia Model Code of Practice. It covers issues like:

The size and location of your workplace
The number of employees and other people at your workplace
Your record of injuries, illnesses and incidents
The nature of the work you carry out
The type of hazards at your workplace

Once you have gathered this information, you can determine how many first aiders are needed, what training they need, and what equipment, facilities and procedures are required.

The Model Code of Practice also provides recommended first aid requirements, for example, how many first aiders you need according to the number of workers to help you do this.

First aid kits

You’ll also find a list of recommended contents for your workplace first aid kit. These include all the supplies you’d expect, like gauze, saline, bandages, ice packs and antiseptic spray.

If your workplace involves being outdoors, you may also want to include a snake bite kit and sting relief products. And if you work in a remote location, you should include a whistle to attract attention and a torch too.

You may also want to consider other equipment, for example, a defibrillator that gives an electric shock to a patient whose heart is in cardiac arrest. This can help the heart go back to a normal rhythm and could save a life.

Facilities for first aid

As part of your first aid assessment, you will need to consider what facilities your workplace needs.

Workplace first aid responsibility with WHS-compliant kit

For smaller workplaces, a clean and private area where first aid can be given may be sufficient.

But you may need to provide a dedicated first aid room if:

You have a low risk workplace with 200 or more workers
You have a high risk workplace with 100 or more workers

However large or small, your first aid facilities will need to include access to a telephone or call system so that you can contact emergency services if required.

You will also need to ensure that the entrance to your first aid area or room is marked clearly with a first aid sign and that employees and visitors know where it is.

Trained first aiders

Your first aid responsibilities at work also include ensuring enough workers are trained to give first aid or that workers have access to a sufficient number of other people to administer this service.

If you are organising first aid training for workers within your organisation, this should be provided by a registered training organisation like St John Ambulance or the Australian Red Cross.

You should also bear in mind that your workers may need extra training if your workplace has specialised needs, for example, if it deals with dangerous substances, includes children or is remote.

Helping you to make your workplace safe

Knowing your first aid responsibilities at work is essential if you are an employer or manager.

To help you get organised and ensure that your workplace is fully stocked up with what you need, have a browse of the MediBC collection of first aid kits and supplies.

We’re a long-established Sydney company specialising in quality first aid equipment and health, safety and medical products.

Whether your workplace is big or small, we’ve got what you need to help make it a safe and pleasant place for you and your employees!