Posted By JWG Advice please. I'm currently carrying out a risk assessment on first aid arrangement for a new training building we have. It is a low risk environment, no public, there are two floors, 12 training rooms and offices, a library, and a lecture theatre. When the lecture theatre is empty there is approx 40 staff max. The lecture theatre has a capacity of 100 (may only be at that capacity for 1 hour a week, but approx 40 staff 1-3 hours per day) So potentially the most there will be 140 staff in the building, but this is very rare. After reviewing HSE's guidance, I'm reluctant to provide the first aid cover suggested (2 first aiders at any one time) when it is rare that there will be more than 100 staff. Any suggestions or comments are gratefully welcome.

Posted By Alan Nicholls It is also wise to remember that First Aiders are for ill health as well as injuries. Do you know or ask all students if they suffer from any health problems that may require medical assistance? I work in a small engineering company, offices on 2 floors,main workshop, 4 test areas, assembly shop, strip and clean shop, electronic assembly and test areas,canteen,goods delivery yard,stores/dispatch. We have at the last count 11 qualified first aiders, sadly I am not one of them. We have just over 300 employees and growing again. 2 people 4days training, What's the problem? Regards Alan N

Posted By Clive Lowery JWG, Sorry mate but I'm with Merv on this. The more First Aiders from differing backgrounds/cultures the better. Sad as it is we live in a claims culture that will seek to gain as much as it can. You may well be required to stand up in court and explain why you went against guidance/ACOPs and try and prove you were right! If it is merely a matter of budget/finance then put it in your documented RA and let the bean counters over-rule you or not. Harsh but sadly true. Personally I would follow the HSE Guidelines and quote them in your documented First Aid RA. Good luck, Clive

Posted By garyh All very well but my experience is that people are unwilling to beocome 1st aiders! The obvious thing is to do a **risk assessment** (this of coutrse solves all of you problems!) How close are you to medical assistance (eg how long for attendance by ambulance - this makes a difference). I would put up notices, raise it at safety committee etc and ask who is interested in 1st aid / AP. If you have plenty volunteers this will help you. Agree with the point about cover though - even if you decide to only have 1 1st aider you need cover, maybe APs as last resort?

Posted By Taff2 JWG For me, you are doing the "sensible" thing, you're doing a risk assessment - you deem it a low risk environment: no public, there are two floors, 12 training rooms and offices, a library, and a lecture theatre - so a small "one site facility" When the lecture theatre is empty there is approx 40 staff max & occasionally 1 hour a week - you'll have another 100 sitting in a lecture theatre. One first aider should suffice - yes it would be nice (even if not practicable cost/volunteers) to have 2 - but I do not recall the law stating that the first aider must be on site every time you have one person there, they are allowed holidays The only thing I would do, more that your current plan, is to check around - do you have other employers / facilities in the vicinity / close proximity and if so, could you come to an arrangement with them for sharing a first aider during lecture time / holidays. Hope this is sensible advice

Posted By Derek Singleton I provide first Aiders over 10 sites, 7 days per week. All sites have varying numbers of visitors. We take into account all those visitors and also consider annual leave , sickness etc. So my advice would be take in to consideration all your visitors and base your requirement on the maximum number. Ensure you have cover for those days you think you have a first aider on duty but.... In the end you must bite the bullet and train some up, its not that expensive. Derek Singleton

Posted By Paul Duell I'm sometimes the only first aider in my workplace, which inspires me to add... What if it's me that's hurt / ill? I'd always recommend more than one first aider. If you shop around, you can sometimes get training for a group at your own premises for nearly the same cost as single training elsewhere.