Adding new life-saving equipment to first aid kits and encouraging mental health crisis training are among the recommendations in WorkSafe Victoria’s updated guide to workplace first aid.
Executive Director of Health and Safety at WorkSafe, Narelle Beer said the updated First Aid in the Workplace Compliance Code offered practical guidance for employers to ensure they were complying with their duty to provide a safe workplace.
“It replaces the 2008 Code, with updates including recommendations to consider adding asthma-relieving inhalers and epinephrine auto-injectors (EpiPens) to first aid kits and to consider training for first aid officers to assist people experiencing a mental health crisis,” Ms Beer said.
“It also provides information on providing adequate first aid room facilities, assessing first aid needs and ensuring training remains up-to-date,” she said.
“The guidance is not mandatory, however, employers that comply with the Code will be considered to have complied with their duties under the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act and Occupational Health and Safety Regulations.”
Ms Beer said the Code offered two options for compliance, the risk assessment approach or the prescribed approach.
“The risk assessment approach guides employers through the process of determining their first aid responsibilities based on an assessment of their workplace hazards and risks,” she said.
Ms Beer said the prescribed approach gave prescriptive guidance on complying with the OHS Act and was suited to small to medium-sized workplaces.
WorkSafe’s 40-page Code can be accessed at this PS News link.
