First aid is the immediate treatment or care given to someone suffering from an injury or illness. Receiving first aid immediately after a workplace injury or illness can save lives, reduce the severity of harm and support faster recovery.
Health and safety duties in relation to first aid
A person conducting a business or undertaking (PCBU) must do what is reasonably practicable to keep workers and others safe from workplace health and safety risks.
A PCBU must ensure workers have access to the right first aid support when they need it. This includes:
- suitable first aid equipment
- access to first aid equipment and facilities
- enough workers trained to administer first aid or access to other people trained to provide first aid.
Workers and other persons at the workplace, including visitors, have a duty to take reasonable care of their own health and safety and not put others at risk. They must follow workplace procedures, including first aid and injury or illness reporting processes.
A person can have more than one duty, and more than one person can have the same duty at the same time. Early consultation and identification of risks can allow for more options to eliminate or minimise risks and reduce the associated costs.