Assessing Your Needs:

Complying with the law,
The health and safety (first aid) regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work.

However what is adequate depends on the type of workplace, the industry sector you work in and the number of staff you have.

If you have fewer than 5 staff then the recommendation is for one appointed person

A first aider is someone who has attended a four day, HSE approved, first aid at work course

An appointed person is someone who has attended a one day, basic first aid for the appointed person course (link to the basic first aid for the appointed person course)

Lower risk e.g., shops, offices, libraries
Up to 50                                       At least one appointed person
50-100                                         At least one first aider
100+                                            One additional first aider per 100 employees

Medium Risk e.g. light engineering, assembly work, food processing, warehousing
Up to 20                              At least one appointed person
20-100                                         At least one first aider for every 50 personnel
100+                                            One additional first aider per 100 employees

High Risk e.g. construction, chemical manufacture, dangerous machinery, sharp instruments
Up to 5                                         At least one appointed person
5-50                                              At least one first aider for every 50 personnel
50+                                               One additional first aider for every 100 employees