HSE Amends Guidance on First Aid at Work Regulations to Emphasise Mental Health
The Health and Safety Executive has published guidance on the regulations that govern employers’ provision of first aid in the workplace. This document, First aid at work: Guidance on regulations, was amended in January 2024 to emphasise employers’ responsibilities for taking account of employees’ mental health in their first-aid needs assessment.
How much first-aid provision employers must provide depends on the hazards and risks within the workplace. The amendments make it clear that such hazards and risks can be both physical and related to mental health.1
The amendments clarify that “It may also be helpful to have people trained to identify and understand mental ill health symptoms who are able to support someone who is experiencing a mental health issue.” Employers should consider whether employees with an FAW or EFAW qualification can provide support to someone experiencing an acute mental health episode. If not, the employer should consider providing further training. The employer should be satisfied that first-aiders:
- know how to get professional help if necessary;
- can act promptly, safely, and effectively until that help is available.2
The 2024 amendments also revise the employer’s duty to advise his employees of the arrangements made in connection with first aid. If an employer has employees trained to identify and understand mental ill health symptoms who are then able to support someone who is experiencing a mental health issue, all employees must be made aware of the:
- people involved in first-aid provision;
- different types of incidents to which they have the training or competence to respond.3
Emcare has an on-going commitment to providing training in mental health. We offer the following courses:
- Mental Health Awareness
- Mental Health Champion
- Scottish Mental Health First Aid (SMHFA)
SMHFA helps delegates understand depression, anxiety, and psychosis. In addition, it offers instruction on how to offer first aid to someone experiencing episodes of these mental illnesses.
Sources
This article contains public sector information published by the Health and Safety Executive and licensed under the Open Government Licence.
1 First aid at work: Guidance on regulations (hse.gov.uk), Regulation 3 Duty of employer to make provision for first-aid, Guidance paragraph 8
2 First aid at work: Guidance on regulations (hse.gov.uk), Regulation 3 Duty of employer to make provision for first-aid, Guidance paragraph 6
3 First aid at work: Guidance on regulations (hse.gov.uk), Regulation 4 Duty of employer to inform his employees of the arrangements made in connection with first-aid, Guidance paragraph 82
