Rank: Guest 
|
Posted By allan wood
i have been trying (unsuccessfuly) over the last 3 months to convince my employer that it would be in everyones interest if we where to have our own first aiders. we are a multi-site based nationally working industrial services contractor. when on site we rely solely on the clients first aid cover and facilities.when i have suggested we train our own people in first aid the reply i am getting is that we comply with current legislation and that is all we need to do. how can i convince them otherwise? have tried showing them HSE recommendations etc etc to no avail. any assisstance would be greatly appreciated on this.
regards allan wood
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Adrian Watson
Dear Allan,
These regulations require that an employer shall provide or ensure that there is provided, such number of suitable persons as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering first aid at work to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work.
If your employer, ensures that provision is made through the client, - no problem; but if your men are working at night with only a security guard present and there is a risk of injury, etc, then you have a serious problem. I suggest that all persons who will work onsite are trained in the ABC of first aid and that you have a suitable number of fully trained first aiders for circumstances when the client has not made provision.
Regards Adrian Watson.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Hilary Charlton
Have you done a risk assessment showing distance from the hospital for emergency care, the possibility of first aid cover not being available from the client (is the client even responsible for you?) and then some hard facts and figures about say, the number of people who survive heart attacks because they got immediate CPR or the number of people who survive accidents because of first aid. Couple this together with the actual cost of the course which is very low (the last one I booked was only about £80). You could also trying putting all this in personal terms as though it was happening to him as opposed to any other employee - self preservation is a very good motivator.
I wish you good luck with this.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Ken Taylor
So what do you do where the client requires your company to provide it's own first-aid cover - turn down the contract? I don't know what services you provide, but we require contractors to make their own provision and record this fact.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Gavin Gibson
What about taking the middle ground with appointed persons - they normally complete the 'lifesaving' / emergencies skills training in a 1/2 day session.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Stuart Nagle
Allan.
1) If your employees are injured at work, they do not need to be first aiders or appointed persons to administer first aid to themselves for any peronal injuries.
2) Are first aid kits carried on ALL of your vehicles. Is there an insurance requirement for this to be implemented? If so there may be an implicit training requirement also !!
3) What are the clients conditions of contract in respect of the operation and implementaion of health and safety by their contractors. I would would suspect that contractors have to complete a health and safety questionnaire and submit relevant details to the client.
Does this include a section on first aid provision/arrangement by the contractor, or state that the client shall provide first aid to persons on thier sites, or is there a non-contractual agreement (not binding) that the client will do so as their discretion?
4) If mobile work is involved, as seems the case, are employees required to work on un-manned' sites, alone or where there is little or no provision for first aid cover?
Again, here there may be a need for first aid kits to be available and again an implicit requirement for training...
5) How many persons does your organisation employ? is it necessary to have first aiders at your workplace? if so, why is cover not provided to ALL employees, as is their right!! Irrespective of whether they are working on other premises. Where there is no contractual agreement to provide first aid by the client, any discretionary agreement or no agreement at all would not I feel meet the duty of care incumbent on the employer to ensure the health, safety and welfare of all their employees!!
What exactly are the first aid arrangements of the client. Have your staff been inducted/trained by the client in their system for dealijng with these issues?
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rank: Guest
|
Posted By Mark Large
Guidance for Reg 3 of First Aid Regs:
An employer should make an assessment of first-aid needs appropriate to the circumstances of EACH workplace.
If after such assessment it is shown that there are sufficient facilities to 'give immediate assistance to casulaties with both common injuries or illness and those likely to arise from specific hazards at work' then I'm afraid they are correct, you are covered.
Possible light at end of tunnel is the specific hazards bit.
Any out of hours working?
traveling, remote, lone working?
the organsation's history of accidents?
remoteness from medical services?
Any hazards that general first aid kit or training wouldn't be sufficient for?
Failing that try putting it as a benefit.
First aid is all about preventing further harm and promoting recovery. That equals less time that a valuable worker is on the sick. Less likely that you have to fork out on training a new worker as they didn't know not to wrap that severed digit in cotton wool etc.
|
|
|
|
|
|
You cannot post new topics in this forum.
You cannot reply to topics in this forum.
You cannot delete your posts in this forum.
You cannot edit your posts in this forum.
You cannot create polls in this forum.
You cannot vote in polls in this forum.