Comments on: First Aid Officer Ratios

By: hammer ce1 cross trainer review

hammer ce1 cross trainer review — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:00:46 +0000

hello
How much extra pay at work do you generally get after having a new responsibility (first aid officer)?
Hammer

By: Terry Gates

Terry Gates — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 06:36:12 +0000

You will need to have a number of trained First Aiders to cover your workforce, making considerations for any employees who are disabled or inexperienced.

For low-risk environments like shops and offices, the recommended number of First Aiders is 1 per 100 employees; for medium-risk workplaces like warehouses and processing units, it’s 2 for the first 100 and then 1 per 100; and for high-risk workplaces, HSE recommends training 2 people per 100.
Excerpt from HSE UK
See also Comcare site:http://www.comcare.gov.au/virtual_workplaces/virtual_office/first_aid_room/first_aid_officers

I hope this is of help
Regards
Terry

By: Sangetta Singh

Sangetta Singh — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:48:44 +0000

According to me once we undertake the assessments on the hazards, it
likelihood and probability, level of first aiders required, first aid
components/ items and establishment of people working at any one time as
per the Code of practice for First Aid, we can then allote a number
depending on the principle of “SFARP” concept to mitigate the risk. i.e
1: 30 or 1:40 etc etc. but it is always very important to have a first
aiders at all times depending at the worksites which will vary if the
number of staff is higher. Just remember-
The basic reason to have first aiders is to keep the person alive before
an ambulance arrives or the person can be taken to the closest hospital
Our hospitals or clinics with the work areas may be like 8-10 minutes
away
If the risk assessment is undertaken it becomes much easier to define
your ratios of First Aid and staff

By: Dave Portway

Dave Portway — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:47:45 +0000

Hi all, try the Approved Codes of Practice in your state for answers. Here is the link for the new SA first aid ACOP September 2009.

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/uploaded_files/FirstAidCodeofPractice.pdf

her is a link for references to other sites across the country and of geeneral interest:

http://www.safework.sa.gov.au/show_page.jsp?id=2822#ohs

Dave Portway

Safety Manager

By: Rex Hodges

Rex Hodges — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:46:41 +0000

We here at QPAC employee first aid officers to be on site when
performances are being conducted. We use 2 first aid officers amongst
3000-4000 patrons and 100-200 staff and performers per night. We have
conducted a risk assessment to identify our needs but we also had to
include a cost analysis to ensure it would be cost effective. The risk
assessment identified safety procedures that were in place which reduced
our amount of incidents. We also service the general public with our
first aiders as we are located directly across from South Brisbane
railway station and located in the middle of the Southbank Cultural
centres. During our normal operations (daily) we engage one first aid
officer but have several back up officers if required. So to answer the
question how many first aiders to staff members is one. If the company
uses best practise it will have trained first aid officer in there
workforce and use this information when rostering staff. The other thing
to note is here at QPAC we employee first aid officers to be just that,
they do not hold another position they solely conduct first aid and
manage the stock and equipment involved in first aid.

Thanks
Rex

By: andy Hill

andy Hill — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:46:05 +0000

First Aid officers – acceptable numbers depends on the type of work

- if working in pairs and high risk – 100%
- if working in teams and low risk – 1 or 2 per team

There is no set number that I know of, the more trained the better for
everyone

Regards

Andy Hill

By: Christine Mainwaring

Christine Mainwaring — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:44:50 +0000

We have two First Aid officers and have about 70 staff we have just
requested two more volunteers so that we will have four First Aid
Officers. Hopefully this will cover any leave/sickness taken by the
First Aiders also we encourage all staff members to complete a senior
first aid course so that all staff can be responsible for their fellow
worker.

Regards

Christine Mainwaring
Executive Assistant
to Mike Lane CEO – Director

By: Leslie Hunter

Leslie Hunter — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 07:43:29 +0000

HI JOANNE,
MY BACKGROUND IS POWER PLANT PROJECTS,REFINARIES AND COAL MINES WORKING FOR LARGE CONSTRUCTION COMPANIES AND LIVING IN CAMPS,THEY ALLWAYS HAVE PARAMEDICS ON HAND PLUS ALL THE ELECTRITIONS ARE SENIOR FIRST AIDERS AND THE BUILDERS ALWAYS PUT AS MANY WORKERS AS WISH TO APPLY THROUGH FOR THEIR SENIOR FIRST AID CERTIFICATE .
TO ANSWER THE QUESTION I HAVE NEVER REALY HAD ANY CONCERNS IN THAT AREA BUT NOW THAT THE QUESTION HAS BEEN ASKED IT MAKES YOU THINK IN REGARDS TO THE RATIO OF WORKERS TO FIRST AID GUYS.
NOW THAT I TRAIN AND ASSESS FULL TIME AND WORK OUT OF OUR OWN WORK SHOP AND HAVE A SMALL OPERATION.
I GIVE A SHORT TALK ON THAT SUBJECT WHEN I PUT APPLICANTS THROUGH FOR THEIR ,
WORK SAFELY IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY (WHITE CARD)CPCCOHS1001A , PLUS WORKPLACE HEALTH AND SAFETY LICENSES.
IT GOES LIKE THIS I POINT OUT OUR FIRST AID KIT AND SAY THE SIZE IS APPROPRIATE TO THE TYPE OF INJURY YOU COULD SUSTAIN HERE TODAY AND OUR PROXIMITY TO THE LARGEST HOSPITAL IN AUSTRALIA OUTSIDE OF A CAPITOL CITY.
WHICH IS 0.9 KILOMETRES AND THE RESPONCE TIME IT WOULD TAKE TO GET HERE.
APART FROM INJURIES YOU HAVE TO TAKE OTHER FACTORS INTO ACCOUNT SUCH AS MEDICAL CONDITIONS , RELAPSES OR HEART ATTACKS.
THE RATIO DOES NEED TO BE LOOKED AT AS IN SAFETY OFFICERS NEEDED ON SITE IF YOU HAVE 30 WORKERS YOU NEED A SAFETY OFFICER FULL TIME AND THE MORE WORKERS YOU NEED THE MORE SAFETY OFFICERS YOU NEED.SENIOR FIRST AIDERS ARE MORE IMPORTANT.
REGARDS,
LES.

By: Mike O'Reilly

Mike O'Reilly — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:38:24 +0000

WorkSafe Victoria have put together a series of Compliance Codes covering several aspects of OHS and first aid is one of them.

WorkSafe’s position for first aid ratios, adopting the prescribed approach is:

Introduction

31. Employers who follow the guidance in this section will have complied with the OHS Act on the provision of appropriate first aid facilities and first aid officers for their employees.

32. This guidance is aimed at:
. workplaces with 10 or more employees
. workplaces with fewer than 10 employees that have a higher level of risk.

What is a low-risk workplace?

33. Low-risk workplaces are those where:

. employees are not exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness that would require immediate medical treatment such as those associated with plant, hazardous substances, dangerous goods, confined spaces and hazardous manual handling

. the business is located where medical assistance or ambulance services are readily available to the community and to the workplace where the business operates.

Low-risk workplaces include offices, libraries and most retail operations.

What is a higher-risk workplace?

34. Higher-risk workplaces are those where employees may be exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness that would require immediate medical treatment.

Higher risk workplaces include manufacturing plants, kitchens, motor vehicle and body panel workshops, medical research facilities and forestry operations.

35. Examples of serious injuries requiring immediate medical treatment are:
. the amputation of any part of the body . a serious head injury . a serious eye injury . de-gloving or scalping . electric shock . a spinal injury . the loss of a bodily function . serious lacerations.

What about low-risk workplaces with fewer than 10 employees?

36. The prescriptive guidance on first aid officers, first aid kits and first aid rooms is not applicable for workplaces with fewer than 10 employees and low levels of risk. Employers at low-risk workplaces with fewer than 10 employees should refer to page 10 for further information.

First aid officers

Low-risk workplaces

37. In low-risk workplaces, compliance is achieved by providing:
. one first aid officer for 10 to 50 employees . two first aid officers for 51 to 100 employees . an additional first aid officer for every additional 100 employees.

Higher-risk workplaces

38. In higher-risk workplaces, compliance is achieved by providing:
. one first aid officer for up to 25 employees . two first aid officers for 26 to 50 employees . an additional first aid officer for every additional 50 employees.

39. Where an employee or group of employees does not have timely access to appropriate medical and ambulance services, (such as in remote, isolated or mobile workplaces) compliance is achieved by providing at least one first aid officer for every 10 employees.

40. A home-based workplace is not considered to be a remote or isolated workplace for the purpose of this compliance code.

First aid training

41. The minimum acceptable level of training for first aid officers for workplaces is the senior first aid certificate (often referred to as a level 2 first aid qualification) or its competency based equivalent HLTFA301B Apply First Aid.

42. For higher-risk workplaces, there may be a need for first aid officers who have completed occupational first aid training (often referred to as a level 3 first aid
qualification) or its competency based equivalent HLTFA402B Apply Advanced First Aid.

43. If the workplace is large and diverse or has a complex range of OHS hazards, the employer needs to choose option 2 (see page 11) and determine the appropriate level of first aid training based on a risk assessment.

44. Employers need to ensure that the qualifications of first aid officers are current.

First aid kits
Location and quantity

45. In low-risk workplaces, compliance is achieved by providing:
. one first aid kit for 10 to 50 employees . one additional kit for every additional 50 employees up to 200 . one additional kit for every 100 additional employees above 200.

46. In higher-risk workplaces, compliance is achieved by providing:
. one first aid kit, including specific first aid kit modules, for up to 25 employees . two kits, including specific first aid kit modules, for up to 50 employees . one additional kit, including specific first aid kit modules, for every additional 50 employees.

47. Where an employee or group of employees does not have timely access to appropriate medical and ambulance services, compliance is achieved by providing at least one kit for every 25 employees. For isolated, remote locations or mobile workplaces, employees need to have access to appropriate first aid kits.

48. Where there are separate work areas, it may be appropriate to locate first aid facilities centrally and provide portable first aid kits in each work area. This may include motor vehicles.

The link for the compliance code is:
http://www.worksafe.vic.gov.au/wps/wcm/connect/f50215804071fb55b197ffe1fb554c40/First+aid+CC.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

Hope this assists in getting some direction to your query.

Regards

Mike

By: Bernie Althofer

Bernie Althofer — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 02:31:42 +0000

Please check out the following web link:

http://www.deir.qld.gov.au/workplace/resources/pdfs/firstaidfull.pdf

It would appear that significant importance is placed on first aid and first aid officers, but at the same time, it is linked to risk management. There does not appear to be any documentation that specifically mentions an acceptable ratio of First Aid Officers to Employees, but as mentioned on page six of the document mentioned at the above website, there should be sufficient numbers for all shift workers.

It might also be reasonable to consider reading the new ISO 31000 Risk Management – Principles and Guidelines.

Hope this helps.

Bernie