Keeping first aid up to date and easy

HazardCo understands that on-site first aid is about more than just sending someone on a course every few years. If you’re the main builder on-site, you have a legal and moral obligation to make sure your team has access to appropriate first aid equipment and facilities, as well as access to trained first aiders.

To understand the appropriate level of first aid required for your workplace, you should do a first aid Risk Assessment. This covers facilities, equipment, and training, and helps you understand what would be appropriate for your site. 

Great first aid kits can be sourced from many places – a basic kit will include as least some equipment to tend to:

• cuts, scratches, punctures, grazes, and splinters
• soft tissue sprains and strains
• minor burns
• broken bones
• eye injuries
• shock

However, given the nature of construction work and increased risk of eye injury, machine cuts, falls etc, you’ll need to consider what other equipment to add e.g. eye pads, additional dressings and bandages.

Include your team and see if they think your first aid kit is sufficient for the site hazards and team size… and ensure they know who your trained first aider is and where the first aid kit is kept! It helps if your first aid kit is clearly labeled and is made from a material that can protect the contents from dust, moisture and contamination. 

Lastly, know who’s in charge of replenishing the kit. Make sure this happens regularly and keep a list of what’s supposed to be in the kit to make topping it up easier. At the same time, check training is up to date for your first aiders, and if your team size has changed, whether you still have enough team members trained in first aid.

Keeping first aid up to date is the right thing to do by your team and subbies, so make sure your site is covered and that you’re all prepared if any sort of injury takes place.