Notice From Prodn Manager Jimmy

[wellREDman]

Please can all participants make themselves aware of the following guidelines:


First aid at work
Your questions answered



CONTENTS
Q1: What is first aid at work?
Q2: So what do I need to do?
Q3: What should I consider when assessing first-aid needs?
Q4: What should I put in the first-aid box?
Q5: What is an appointed person?
Q6: What is a first aider?
Q7: How many first aiders or appointed persons do I need?
Q8: Do I have to do anything else?
Q9: Where can I get further information?

This leaflet answers some basic questions about first-aid provision at work.

It is aimed at employers in small and medium-sized enterprises, but may be useful to all employers, managers and others involved in first aid.


Q1: What is first aid at work?
People at work can suffer injuries or fall ill. It doesn't matter whether the injury or the illness is caused by the work they do or not. What is important is that they receive immediate attention and that an ambulance is called in serious cases. First aid at work covers the arrangements you must make to ensure this happens. It can save lives and prevent minor injuries becoming major ones.


Q2: So what do I need to do?
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require you to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to your employees if they are injured or become ill at work.

What is adequate and appropriate will depend on the circumstances in your workplace and you should assess what your first aid needs are (see Q3).

The minimum first-aid provision on any work site is:

a suitably stocked first-aid box (see Q4);
an appointed person to take charge of first-aid arrangements (see Q5).
It is also important to remember that accidents can happen at any time. First-aid provision needs to be available at all times people are at work.


Q3: What should I consider when assessing first-aid needs?
Many small firms will only need to make the minimum first-aid provision. However, there are factors which might make greater provision necessary. The following checklist covers the points you should consider.

Aspects to consider

You are required by law to make an assessment of significant risks in your workplace. What are the risks of injury and ill health identified in this risk assessment?
Are there any specific risks, eg working with:
hazardous substances;
dangerous tools;
dangerous machinery;
dangerous loads or animals?
Are there parts of your establishment where different levels of risk can be identified (eg in a University with research laboratories)?
What is your record of accidents and cases of ill health? What type are they and where did they happen?
How many people are employed on site?
Are there inexperienced workers on site, or employees with disabilities or special health problems?
Are the premises spread out, eg are there several buildings on the site or multi-floor buildings?
Is there shiftwork or out-of-hours working?
Is your workplace remote from emergency medical services?
Do you have employees who travel a lot or work alone?
Do any of your employees work at sites occupied by other employers?
Do you have any work experience trainees?
Do members of the public visit your premises?
Impact on first-aid provision

If the risks are significant you may need to employ first aiders (see Q6 and Q7).

You will need to consider:

specific training for first aiders;
extra first-aid equipment;
precise siting of first-aid equipment.
You will probably need to make different levels of provision in different parts of the establishment.

You may need to:

locate your provision in certain areas;
review the contents of the first-aid box (see Q4).
You may need to employ first aiders (see Q6 and Q7).

You will need to consider:

special equipment;
local siting of equipment.
You will need to consider provision in each building or on several floors.

Remember that there needs to be first-aid provision at all times people are at work.

You will need to:

inform local medical services of your location;
consider special arrangements with the emergency services.
You will need to:

consider issuing personal first-aid kits and training staff in their use;
consider issuing personal communicators to employees.
You will need to make arrangements with the other site occupiers.

Your first-aid provision must cover them.

You have no legal responsibilities for non-employees, but HSE strongly recommends you include them in your first-aid provision.


Q4: What should I put in the first-aid box?
There is no standard list of items to put in a first-aid box. It depends on what you assess the needs are. However, as a guide, and where there is no special risk in the workplace, a minimum stock of first-aid items would be:

a leaflet giving general guidance on first aid eg HSE leaflet Basic advice on first aid at work (see 'Where can I get further information?');
20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes);
two sterile eye pads;
four individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile);
six safety pins;
six medium sized (approximately 12 cm x 12 cm) individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings;
two large (approximately 18 cm x 18 cm) sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings;
one pair of disposable gloves.
You should not keep tablets or medicines in the first-aid box.

The above is a suggested contents list only; equivalent but different items will be considered acceptable.


Q5: What is an appointed person?
An appointed person is someone you choose to:

take charge when someone is injured or falls ill, including calling an ambulance if required;
look after the first-aid equipment, eg restocking the first-aid box.
Appointed persons should not attempt to give first aid for which they have not been trained, though short emergency first-aid training courses are available. Remember that an appointed person should be available at all times people are at work on site - this may mean appointing more than one.


Q6: What is a first aider?
A first aider is someone who has undergone a training course in administering first aid at work and holds a current first aid at work certificate. The training has to have been approved by HSE. Lists of local training organisations are available from HSE Offices. You may decide, following your first-aid assessment, that you need one or more first aiders. A first aider can undertake the duties of an appointed person.


Q7: How many first aiders or appointed persons do I need?
It is not possible to give hard and fast rules on when or how many first aiders or appointed persons might be needed. This will depend on the circumstances of each particular organisation or worksite. Refer to the following table after working through the assessment checklist in Q3. It offers suggestions on how many first aiders or appointed persons might be needed in relation to categories of risk and number of employees. The details in the table are suggestions only - they are not definitive nor are they a legal requirement. It is for you to assess your first-aid needs in the light of your particular circumstances.


Q8: Do I have to do anything else?
You have to inform your employees of the first aid arrangements. Putting up notices telling staff who and where the first aiders or appointed persons are and where the first-aid box is will usually be sufficient. But don't forget that you will need to make special arrangements to give first-aid information to employees with reading or language difficulties.

Suggested numbers of first-aid personnel.
First-aid personnel should be available at all times people are at work, based on assessments of risk and number of workers.

Where there are special circumstances, such as remoteness from emergency medical services, shiftwork, or sites with several separate buildings, there may need to be more first-aid personnel than set out below. Increased provision will be necessary to cover for absences.

Category of risk Numbers employed at any location Suggested number of first-aid personnel
Lower risk
eg shops and offices, libraries
Fewer than 50 At least one appointed person
50-100 At least one first aider
More than 100 One additional first aider for every 100 employed
Medium risk
eg light engineering and assembly work, food processing, warehousing
Fewer than 20 At least one appointed person
20-100 At least one first aider for every 50 employed (or part thereof)
More than 100 One additional first aider for every 100 employed
Higher risk
eg most construction, slaughter houses, chemical manufacture, extensive work with dangerous machinery or sharp instruments
Fewer than five At least one appointed person
5-50 At least one first aider
More than 50 One additional first aider for every 50 employed

[wellREDman]

Introduction

Large crowds are a normal part of the operation of many public venues such as railway stations, fairgrounds, leisure centres and sports stadiums. From a commercial point of view large numbers of customers may be desirable. But excessive crowding and poor crowd management can lead at worst to crushing, injury and even death and at the very least to such anxiety and stress that visitors decide not to come again or recommend a visit to others.

Even small changes in the layout or venue, or a gradual increase in visitors, might lead to a disaster. In addition to the personal suffering such disasters cause, the accompanying adverse publicity, loss of revenue, compensation payments, insurance costs and possible prosecution can have a long-term effect on a company's viability. Disasters should not happen provided those responsible, at all levels, pay careful attention to managing crowds safely.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HSE-sponsored research

In January 1991 RM Consultants (RMC) was commissioned by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to study crowd behaviour, the different management and control methods currently in use, and the effect of crowd size, flows and venue design on the potential for overcrowding. They observed crowd behaviour in a wide variety of fixed and transient venues, interviewed senior and operational management and where possible asked visitors for their views.

Their study and crowd management recommendations based on it are published as a report entitled Managing crowd safety in public venues: a study to generate guidance for venue owners and enforcing authority inspectors (see order form at end of leaflet).

This will be of interest to behavioural and social scientists as well as to managers and owners of public venues. HSE is using RMC's study as a basis for guidance to be published later. This leaflet summarises some important points from the RMC study but it is not HSE guidance.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Responsibilities of the management team

Crowd safety is primarily a management responsibility and requires the application of the best practices of health and safety management. All who run venues, organise events or manage places which attract crowds should have a health and safety management system which anticipates, monitors and controls potential crowding risks.

Because venues, both fixed and transient, are large and complex spaces, the management of crowds requires team work with good communications and co-ordination between those responsible for the overall operation and those managing crowds face to face. Effective team work depends on senior managers providing a positive and pro-active safety culture so that staff at all levels are aware of the importance of crowd safety. In particular, the team needs:

clear roles and responsibilities;
written arrangements for the regular analysis, planning, inspection, operation and review of crowd safety systems; and
adequate training.
The day-to-day management of crowds carries with it great responsibility. Preventing the unexpected from becoming a disaster depends on good management systems and experience. Between them, members of the crowd safety team should:

research the type of visitor they expect and anticipate likely crowd behaviour;
if it is available, collate and assess information about the health and safety record of previous events at the venue;
conduct a risk assessment to decide the adequacy of arrangements in place to control crowds and change them if necessary;
inspect the venue and review crowd safety arrangements at regular intervals;
set targets for crowd management (for example, if queues extend past a particular point, open another service point);
liaise with outside organisations such as police and the emergency services.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Factors to consider when making a risk assessment

When assessing the risks to safety in a venue both physical and behavioural factors need to be considered. Some of the more important ones are:

Design and layout

The layout of the venue, design of circulation routes and the design and location of facilities can have a fundamental influence on crowd behaviour. For example, small entrances or a limited number of turnstiles may control crowd flow into cramped areas, but may result in dangerous build-ups on the other side. Barriers can direct crowd flows and the shrewd location of desirable facilities can help spread visitors more evenly. It may not always be possible to change the layout to enhance safety, but it should always be considered as an option.

How much people know about the layout and design of the place affects the way they act, especially in an emergency

Visitors familiar with a venue are likely to use known routes to favourite viewing-points or attractions and may persist in doing this, even if the routes are closed. Those who don't know a venue may block routes while deciding which way to go and well-placed signs and information about attractions can help them decide quickly. In an emergency people often leave by the way they know best, even if it appears more dangerous.

Behaviour is affected by the provision of information

Clear signposts and simple, audible public address messages are vital. Poor communications can lead to people stopping, moving against the flow of the crowd, blocking passages or making frequent demands on staff for directions. Visitors without information, or given contradictory information, can become frustrated and aggressive.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What type of crowd?

Different types of crowd behave in different ways. Shoppers in a crowded mall, each with their own interests, make up a different crowd from spectators at a sports stadium. It is important to know, for example, the age-range and social mix of visitors to anticipate probable behaviour and make appropriate arrangements for it.

The behaviour of individuals is influenced by those around them

Individuals within a crowd usually behave in a rational and goal-orientated manner. For example, someone whose aim is to watch an event or celebrity may climb onto a roof or to the top of scaffold poles to get a better view, despite the danger. Other spectators with a similar aim may follow, leading to more people on the roof and the possibility of collapse and injury. A risk assessment should pick up the likelihood of this happening and enable adequate measures to be taken before the event. The RMC study describes how a risk assessment can be conducted.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some hazards to watch out for

RMC's study indentified those physical features of a venue that may lead to overcrowding and possible injury. These include:

steep slopes
dead ends, locked gates
convergence of several routes into one
uneven or slippery flooring or steps
The potential for injury increases in some situations. Potential hazards requiring identification and management control include:

reverse or cross flows in a dense crowd
flows which are obstructed by queues, or gathering crowds
large pedestrian flows mixing with animals or traffic
moving attractions within a crowd

[wellREDman]

Why do we need these Regulations?

These Regulations bring into force the EC Safety Signs Directive (92/58/EEC) on the provision and use of safety signs at work. The purpose of the Directive is to encourage the standardisation of safety signs throughout the member states of the European Union so that safety signs, wherever they are seen, have the same meaning.
Some examples of the most commonly used signs appear in this leaflet:

General
danger




Ear protection must be worn Industrial vehicles


The Regulations cover various means of communicating health and safety information. These include the use of illuminated signs, hand and acoustic signals (eg fire alarms), spoken communication and the marking of pipework containing dangerous substances. These are in addition to traditional signboards such as prohibition and warning signs. Fire safety signs (ie signs for fire exits and fire-fighting equipment) are also covered.
Eye protection
must be worn




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What do the Regulations require?
They require employers to provide specific safety signs whenever there is a risk that has not been avoided or controlled by other means, eg by engineering controls and safe systems of work. Where a safety sign would not help to reduce that risk, or where the risk is not significant, there is no need to provide a sign;

They require, where necessary, the use of road traffic signs within workplaces to regulate road traffic;
They also require employers to:
maintain the safety signs which are provided by them,
explain unfamiliar signs to their employees and tell them what they need to do when they see a safety sign.



The Regulations apply to all places and activities where people are employed, but exclude signs and labels used in connection with the supply of substances, products and equipment or the transport of dangerous goods.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Do existing signs need to be changed?
In the case of fire safety signs, where employers decide that a previously acceptable sign is not of a type referred to in the Regulations they have until 24 December 1998 to replace it. All other safety signs now need to meet the requirements of the new Regulations described below.



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Effect on employers
A new requirement in the Regulations is to mark pipework containing dangerous substances, for example by identifying and marking pipework at sampling and discharge points. The same symbols or pictograms need to be shown as those commonly seen on containers of dangerous substances, but using the triangular-shaped warning signs, eg:


Corrosive
material Flammable
material Explosive
material Toxic
material



For most firms already using safety signs to warn and instruct employees of risks to their health and safety these Regulations are unlikely to impose any significant changes, because:


No access for
pedestrians

Safety helmets
must be worn

the signboards specified in the Regulations are already covered by the existing British Standard BS 5378:Parts 1 and 3:1980 Safety signs and colours. Most of these are already widely used. Some of the most commonly used signboards are shown in this leaflet;

existing legislation already requires suitable illuminated signs and acoustic signals to be used where necessary. There will be few other cases where these are needed, fire warning systems being one example

although the Regulations specify a code of hand signals for mechanical handling and directing vehicles, they permit other equivalent codes to be used such as BS 6736:1986 Code of practice for hand signalling for use in agricultural operations, and BS 7121:Part 1: 1989 Code of practice for safe use of cranes;

dangerous locations (eg where people may slip, fall from heights, or where there is low headroom) and traffic routes may need to be marked to meet requirements under the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992. The new Regulations specify the type of marking to be used, which again is consistent with BS 5378;

Marking for dangerous locations
No smoking

although these Regulations require stores and areas containing significant quantities of dangerous substances to be identified by the appropriate warning sign (the same signs as are used for marking pipework) they will mainly impact upon smaller stores. This is because the majority of sites on which 25 tonnes or more of dangerous substances are stored can be expected to be marked in accordance with the Dangerous Substances (Notification and Marking of Sites) Regulations 1990. These have similar marking requirements for storage of most dangerous substances. Stores need not be marked if:
they hold very small quantities;
the labels on the containers can be seen clearly from outside the store.




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Fire safety signs

Advice on the use of fire safety signs can be obtained from your enforcing authority for fire safety (eg the local fire authority). In general these Regulations will not require any changes where existing fire safety signs containing symbols comply with BS 5499:Part 1:1990 Fire safety signs, notices and graphic symbols (perhaps in order to comply with the requirements of a fire certificate). This is because the signs in BS 5499, although different in detail to those specified in the Regulations, follow the same basic pattern and are therefore considered to comply with the Regulations.

A Typical sign in Regulations:

B Typical BS5499 sign:

(Both A and B are acceptable)



--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fire warning systems
Where evacuation from buildings is needed, the Regulations require the fire alarm signal to be continuous. Fire alarms conforming to BS 5839: Part 1:1988 Fire detection and alarm systems for buildings do not need changing, nor do other acceptable means such as manually operated sounders (eg rotary gongs or handbells).

[eXhale]

i left before this was posted but it's some very good information, should definitely be kept somewhere for future AVIT, maybe on a vjcentral article?

btw, big thanks to Jimmy for helping us out! :)