Roles & Responsibilities

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, what is the primary duty of an employer regarding first aid?

• ATo provide a qualified nurse on site whenever staff are working
• BTo report first aid treatments to the HSE within ten days
• CTo pay for private medical insurance for each of their employees
• DTo provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment and facilities✓

Answer: Regulation 3 of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 requires employers to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment and facilities, and enough suitably trained people, so that employees can be given first aid if they are injured or become ill at work. The Regulations are made under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974.

What is the role of an 'Appointed Person' in first aid?

• ATo take charge of first aid arrangements and manage the first aid box✓
• BTo conduct annual first aid training
• CTo investigate all workplace accidents
• DTo give hands-on first aid treatment to injured employees and to decide when they are fit to return to work

Answer: An Appointed Person is responsible for managing first aid arrangements, including looking after first aid equipment and facilities. They are not required to provide active first aid treatment.

What is the minimum recommended ratio of first aiders for a workplace with 50 employees?

• AOne first aider for every fifty employees, whatever the work being carried out and whatever the findings of the first aid needs assessment for the premises in question
• BHSE does not set a fixed ratio — provision depends on your First Aid Needs Assessment; a commonly-cited indicative benchmark for medium-risk workplaces is around 1 first aider per 50 employees, but employers must assess their own circumstances.✓
• C5 first aiders
• D3 first aiders

Answer: HSE does not mandate a fixed first aider-to-employee ratio; provision must be based on a documented First Aid Needs Assessment reflecting the specific workplace's risks. A commonly-cited indicative benchmark for medium-risk workplaces is around 1 first aider per 50 employees, but this is guidance only, not a legal requirement.

Which organisation provides guidance on first aid at work in the UK?

• AThe Health and Safety Executive (HSE)✓
• BNHS England and its regional teams
• CThe Department of Health and Social Care, through its workplace medicine unit
• DThe Royal College of General Practitioners, which publishes the statutory workplace first aid code of practice

Answer: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is the UK's national regulator for workplace health and safety, including first aid requirements.

What is a 'First Aid Needs Assessment'?

• AA formal evaluation of the first aid provision required in a workplace✓
• BA safety inspection of the building
• CA written test given to all of the new employees
• DAn annual medical examination of staff

Answer: A First Aid Needs Assessment is a formal process to evaluate what first aid equipment, facilities, and personnel are needed based on workplace hazards, nature of work, and number of employees.

How long is a First Aid at Work certificate valid before you must requalify?

• A1 year
• B5 years
• C3 years✓
• D2 years

Answer: A First Aid at Work certificate is valid for three years, after which the first aider must requalify. HSE strongly recommends annual refresher training during the three years to keep skills current.

What must be included in a workplace first aid box according to HSE recommendations?

• AThere is no need for a first aid box if a trained first aider is on site
• BItems prescribed by a doctor for the employees most likely to need them
• CThere is no HSE-mandated list — contents should reflect the workplace's First Aid Needs Assessment. HSE's suggested minimum for low-hazard workplaces includes a guidance leaflet, sterile plasters, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, sterile wound dressings, and disposable gloves.✓
• DWhatever medical supplies the employer happens to choose, without carrying out a risk assessment or first aid needs assessment, and without reference to the guidance published by the Health and Safety Executive

Answer: HSE does not specify a mandatory contents list — provision should follow a First Aid Needs Assessment. Tablets and medicines should NOT be kept in the first aid box, per explicit HSE guidance.

In a workplace with multiple hazardous areas, how should first aid provision be arranged?

• AMobile first aid boxes are never required, because all first aid equipment must be kept in one fixed location
• BFirst aiders and equipment should be located to cover all areas with consideration to response times✓
• COne first aider based in the main reception area is sufficient to cover every part of a multi-hazard site
• DAdditional training is unnecessary for different areas

Answer: First aid provision must be adequately distributed throughout the workplace to ensure quick response times. Multiple first aiders or mobile equipment may be needed in large or multi-hazard workplaces.

What is the legal requirement for informing employees about first aid arrangements?

• AOnly senior management needs to know about first aid
• BEmployees must be told verbally on their first day
• CInformation must be displayed prominently in the workplace✓
• DInforming employees is left to the employer's discretion

Answer: Employers must ensure that employees are aware of first aid arrangements. This should be displayed clearly in the workplace (e.g., location of first aiders, first aid boxes, and contact details).

What do the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 (as amended) cover?

• AOnly requirements for hospitals, clinics and other premises where clinical treatment is given
• BRecommendations of good practice only, with no legal force behind any of them
• CRequirements for first aid equipment and personnel in all workplaces✓
• DRequirements for large industrial sites only

Answer: The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 (as amended) are legal requirements that apply to all workplaces in Great Britain and cover the provision of adequate first-aid equipment, facilities and trained people, based on an assessment of first-aid needs.

How should an employer identify gaps in first aid provision?

• AThrough a documented First Aid Needs Assessment✓
• BBy waiting for an accident and then reviewing it
• CBy asking the HSE to inspect the site and set the level of provision
• DBy copying the arrangements used by a neighbouring business of a similar size

Answer: A documented First Aid Needs Assessment systematically identifies the level of first aid provision required based on workplace hazards, work activities, and employee numbers.

What is the difference between a first aider and an Appointed Person?

• AAppointed Persons hold the higher first aid qualification
• BThe two roles are identical, and the titles are used interchangeably
• CA first aider provides treatment; an Appointed Person manages provision and calls emergency services✓
• DAn Appointed Person provides hands-on treatment while a first aider manages the equipment and the first aid box

Answer: A first aider holds a first aid at work or emergency first aid at work qualification and gives first aid treatment. An Appointed Person takes charge of the first aid arrangements, looks after the equipment and facilities and calls the emergency services. HSE does not require an Appointed Person to have first aid training, and they should not give treatment they have not been trained for.

For a small office of 15 employees with minimal hazards, what is the minimum first aid provision?

• AA fully equipped ambulance on-site
• BProvision is optional at this size
• CAt least one trained first aider
• DAn Appointed Person and an accessible first aid box✓

Answer: Even for small offices, an Appointed Person or trained first aider and a properly stocked first aid box are required. The specific provision depends on the risk assessment.

What records must an employer keep regarding first aid provision?

• AVerbal confirmation from each first aider is sufficient
• BRecords of first aiders' qualifications, training dates, and first aid assessments✓
• CThe accident records, since training and qualification details are held by the training provider
• DThe medical history of each employee, held by the first aider

Answer: Employers should maintain records of first aiders' qualifications, when they were trained, when refresher training is due, and results of the First Aid Needs Assessment.

What should be the location of first aid boxes in a workplace?

• AOnly in the manager's office, where the box can be kept locked and signed out when needed
• BIn accessible, clearly marked locations known to all employees✓
• CConcealed from public view, because visible first aid signs encourage staff to report trivial injuries
• DFirst aid boxes are only needed in high-risk areas such as workshops, not in offices

Answer: First aid boxes must be easily accessible and prominently marked so all employees know where to find them quickly in an emergency.

What is included in the First Aid at Work certificate?

• AFirefighting and evacuation skills, with no clinical content
• BMedical diagnosis training so that the first aider can identify the casualty's condition and prescribe treatment
• COnly basic CPR training, delivered as a half-day refresher course every twelve months and nothing else
• DTraining in emergency procedures, assessment of casualty needs, and specific first aid techniques✓

Answer: First Aid at Work training covers emergency procedures, assessment, CPR, recovery position, and treatment of common injuries and illnesses in the workplace.

Who is responsible for ensuring first aid provision is adequate in a workplace?

• AThe first aider, who holds the legal duty once they are qualified
• BThe employer, with support from management and occupational health✓
• CThe local council's environmental health team
• DThe HSE, which sets the level of provision for each workplace

Answer: The employer has the legal responsibility to ensure adequate first aid provision. This includes conducting needs assessments and ensuring proper training and equipment.

What should happen if a first aider leaves the workplace?

• AA new Appointed Person is recruited from outside the company within seven days of the first aider leaving
• BThe employer closes the workplace until the HSE approves a replacement
• CAnother first aider should be identified and their replacement trained if necessary✓
• DThe vacancy can be left unfilled until the next annual review

Answer: When a first aider leaves, the employer must identify and arrange training for a replacement to ensure adequate first aid coverage is maintained.

What is the purpose of having a First Aid Needs Assessment?

• ATo avoid hiring employees whose health record suggests they may need first aid at work
• BTo predict which employees are most likely to be injured so they can be moved to safer duties
• CTo determine which employees should exercise
• DTo comply with legal requirements and ensure appropriate provision✓

Answer: A First Aid Needs Assessment ensures the workplace has appropriate first aid provision to meet potential emergencies, as required by law.

In a workplace with a high risk of injury, what additional first aid provision might be needed?

• AOnly additional warning signs and hazard notices in the higher-risk areas of the site, not extra first aiders
• BAdditional trained first aiders, more first aid boxes, and specific equipment for identified hazards✓
• CThe existing provision is sufficient as it stands, whatever the risk level
• DEmployees working in the highest-risk areas should be redeployed or dismissed so that the risk of injury is removed

Answer: High-risk workplaces may require multiple trained first aiders, additional first aid boxes in strategic locations, and specialised equipment for specific hazards identified in the assessment.