• What law applies
• What first aid facilities are required?
  • Risk management
  • First aid kits
  • First aid personnel
  • First aid rooms
• Infection control
  • Risk of infection
  • Blood or body substance spillage
  • Cleaning, disinfecting and sterilising
  • Waste management
  • Sharps
  • Laundry and storage of equipment
  • Immunisation
• Personal protective equipment (PPE)
• Skin penetration injuries
• Information and training
• Record keeping

First Aid Advisory Standard 2004

• Report a workplace incident
• Risk management

	Print-friendly page
	Print full First Aid Code of Practice (PDF, 320 kB)

First aid personnel

Qualifications

Workers should have access to trained first aid personnel who undertake initial management of work caused injuries or illnesses. If ongoing medical care or special medical assistance, for example trauma counselling, is required, the first aid personnel should recommend that a worker seek further assistance.

The decision to train personnel in first aid should be based on the outcome of the risk management process.

There should be sufficient first aid personnel for all shift workers. When this is not appropriate, procedures should be put in place to ensure workers have access to first aid treatment on all shifts. Examples include having access to emergency transport or having special arrangements with a local medical centre. All staff should know these procedures.

First aid personnel should be:

• able to remain calm in an emergency
• reliable
• able to complete required studies and
• able to use the knowledge and skills gained.

Qualifications

In low risk workplaces, workers should have access to a person with a current Apply First Aid qualification (or higher qualification).

A person possessing a current Apply First Aid qualification should be able to:

• undertake the initial management of injuries and illnesses occurring at workplaces and
• record details of first aid given.

The responsibilities of a person possessing a current Apply First Aid qualification are outlined in section 2.2.1 of the First Aid Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice).

In high risk workplaces, workers should have access to a person with a current occupational first aid qualification.

A person with a current occupational first aid qualification should have:

• broad first aid management skills like maintenance of first aid equipment and
• knowledge of the requirements of a working environment and current workplace health and safety legislation.

The responsibilities of person with a current occupational first aid qualification are outlined in section 2.2.2 of the First Aid Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice).

In certain high risk workplaces, consideration should be given to providing an occupational health service, for example where there is:

• specific high risks such as hazardous substances
• more than 300 staff members.

An occupational health professional, for example and occupational health nurse should have relevant first aid experience.

More information on first aid personnel is provided in section 2.2 of the First Aid Advisory Standard 2004 (now known as a Code of Practice).