Many organisations are failing to meet first aid legal requirements, according to workplace equipment supplier Slingsby.

Under The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 - which is due to be amended from 1 October - employers must provide ‘adequate and appropriate’ first-aid equipment, facilities and training so that anyone who has an accident can receive immediate help.

As part of this legislation, all workplaces must provide a first-aid box that is appropriate to the number of employees and suitably stocked. In addition, all employers should have at least one trained ‘first-aider’, although businesses in high-risk industries and those with large numbers of employees require considerably more.

“Once a business has everything in place it’s important to make all employees aware of the procedures, and notices should be displayed explaining where first aid equipment is kept and who the relevant people are to administer it.”