Roles & Responsibilities

Under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, what is the primary duty of an employer regarding first aid?

• ATo ensure every employee becomes a first aider
• BTo guarantee no accidents occur in the workplace
• CTo employ only certified first aiders
• DTo provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment and facilities✓

Answer: Employers must provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities, and personnel. This is a legal requirement 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?

• A1 first aider
• 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, through its national workplace first aid inspectorate
• 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 test given to all 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 often should first aid training be refreshed according to HSE guidelines?

• AEvery year
• BEvery 5 years
• CEvery 3 years✓
• DEvery 2 years

Answer: The HSE recommends that first aid training is refreshed every 3 years to maintain competency and knowledge of current best practices.

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

• AOnly bandages and plasters
• BOnly items prescribed by a doctor
• 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.✓
• DAny medical supplies the employer chooses, without any risk or needs assessment

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 does the First Aid at Work 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✓
• DOnly large industrial sites

Answer: The First Aid at Work Regulations 1981 (as amended) are legal requirements that apply to all workplaces and cover the provision of equipment, facilities, and trained personnel.

How should an employer identify gaps in first aid provision?

• AThrough a documented First Aid Needs Assessment✓
• BOnly after an accident has happened and been recorded in the accident book
• CFirst aid provision never changes once it has been set, so no further review is required
• 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?

• AOnly Appointed Persons are trained
• BThere is no difference
• 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 only manages the equipment and the first aid box

Answer: A first aider is trained to provide emergency first aid treatment. An Appointed Person manages first aid arrangements and calls for help but is not trained to provide treatment.

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✓
• COnly the accident records themselves, since training and qualification details are held by the training provider
• DOnly records of first aid equipment purchases and the dates on which the first aid boxes were restocked

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 skills only
• 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 alone
• BThe employer, with support from management and occupational health✓
• CThe government only
• DThe manager alone

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 must be recruited from outside the company within seven days of the first aider leaving
• BThe employer must shut down the workplace
• CAnother first aider should be identified and their replacement trained if necessary✓
• DThe vacancy can be left unfilled

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
• 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.