Posted By Jon xr
Hi one and all

Does an appointed person have to be trained in any form of first aid or can they just be a volenteeer to take charge in case of an emergency and to restock the first aid box.

I have read INDG 214 and I am fairly confident as to the answer but I would like my peers opinion.

Cheers and have a great weekend.

Posted By Clairey O
The Health and Safety First Aid at Work Regulations require that first aid arrangements must be made for all staff.

The level of cover needed should be risk assessment based and will depend on the numbers in the workplace and the risks created by work activities, the hours of work and so on.

A first aider is someone who has undergone a training course approved by HSE.

Where a risk assessment identifies that a first aider is not necessary, the minimum requirement is to have an appointed person who can take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required.

Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site - this may mean appointing more than one.


Therefore the Appointed Persons does not necessarily have to have completed a first aid course, to be the responsible one within the workplace.

As a first aid trainer, I would personally like to see more people first aid trained, as it is skill that you never know when it may be needed.

I'll get off my soapbox now.

Posted By Nigel Singleton BSc
Perhaps you may all do well to look a little ahead; the proposed date is April 2006. The HSE are to bring in a new level of first aid, the basic first aider, the appointed person will then purely be the administrator of first aid equipment etc. This new level will be accredited by the HSE and will be subject to an annual update and will involve basic life saving skills.