Published November 2024. This guidance replaces Guidance on First Aid at Work which was published in March 2014.

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and also include the self-employed.

What is ‘adequate and appropriate’ will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first-aiders are needed, what should be included in a first-aid kit and if a first-aid room is required. Employers should carry out an assessment of first-aid needs to determine what to provide.

For Geo-Environmental and Geotechnical site works first aid provisions can vary depending on the hazards and risks present above and below ground. These can be expected: as identified by site walk overs and desk studies and unexpected: when breaking ground or due to changing conditions on a site since the site walk over. As such a first aider plays an invaluable role in the emergency preparedness plan for any site works.