This blog looks at how implementing appropriate workplace safety measures, such as ensuring the availability of adequate first aid supplies, is crucial in workplace safety in keeping employees safe, reducing risks and fostering a productive and legally compliant work environment.
2025 brings with it a new era of workplace safety dynamics, shifting expectations around flexibility, engagement, and wellbeing. Many SMEs are introducing mandatory workplace attendance which brings with it many challenges including first aid provision. It is essential to revisit your first aid needs assessment as working dynamics change, to identify and manage any new risks that have been introduced by new working practices.
Importance of workplace safety in 2025
As new technologies, work practices, and global health challenges continue to shape workplaces, the importance of employee safety remains paramount and ensures:
- Employee wellbeing: by creating a safe work environment, you can protect your team from accidents, injuries, and health risks. This can boost morale, decrease stress, and promote overall job satisfaction.
- Productivity: safer workplaces lower the risk of accidents and work-related absences, resulting in increased productivity and higher employee engagement.
- Reputation: organisations that focus on safety, often build strong brand reputations, attracting employees and retaining customers.
- Long-term sustainability: adhering to safety practices today is vital for your organisation’s future stability by minimising risks and improving workplace efficiency.
1. Insufficient first aid provision can lead to financial risks
Neglecting to prioritise first aid provisions, can lead to significant financial and legal repercussions for your organisation.
If an accident or illness occurs at work, immediate help could reduce recovery time, allowing the injured employee to return to work sooner. Workplace accidents can also trigger compensation claims, increasing insurance premiums, and potentially large fines from regulatory bodies like the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
2. Legal risks to businesses through inadequate first aid provision
According to the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, it is essential to provide adequate and appropriate first aid equipment, facilities, and trained first aiders. This ensures that anyone who is injured or falls ill at work receives prompt assistance. Additionally, the HSE strongly recommends that first aiders not only update their skills through three-yearly requalification courses, but also undertake annual refresher training, which helps to keep skills and knowledge fresh in their minds.
It’s important to keep on top of things and this year, may be the year that you or a member of your team need to refresh or requalify their existing first aid at work certification. Our 2-day First aid at work requalification course provides you with an opportunity to revisit all the topics covered on the initial 3-day first aid at work course. If your organisation is a low-risk environment, the 1-day Emergency first aid at work course is ideal for those needing to be certified first aiders.
Disregarding these first aid obligations is not a wise decision. The HSE has been known to publicly identify employers who fail to comply with minimum standards. Furthermore, in cases of serious injury or a fatality, the ensuing investigation will look closely at the first aid provision that has been in place.
3. The right first aid supplies
With the number of first aid supplies available, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed. Having the right first aid provisions in the workplace is not just about compliance with a legal requirement and training members of your team but also involves providing the equipment that may be required. It ensures that the health and safety of your team is adequately protected. Key elements of workplace first aid provision include:
- First aid kits: these should be stored somewhere where they can be easily accessed in an emergency. There is no mandatory list of items to put in a first aid box although each employer must ensure at least one suitably stocked first aid kit is available. The contents will depend on the risks identified in your employer’s first aid needs assessment.
- Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs): while there is no specific legal requirement for employers to provide AEDs in the workplace, AEDs are often being added to an organisation’s on-site first aid provision. Ideally AEDs should be located in easily accessible locations with signage to enable colleagues to find them quickly. On large sites, it may be beneficial to have more than one AED.
- First aid training: appropriate workplace training can save lives, providing employees with the skills and confidence to help with a first aid emergency at work.
- Emergency plans: having clear procedures in place for how to respond in the event of an emergency is essential. Employees should know who the qualified workplace first aiders are, where the first aid supplies are located, how to call the emergency services, and how to help with medical emergencies.
By prioritising workplace safety, such as ensuring your team has access to the correct first aid supplies, you are not only meeting your legal requirements, but you are building on the success of your organisation. By investing in workplace safety, you can positively impact the mental wellbeing of your team, by creating a healthier and more productive environment. Trained first aiders are naturally aware of possible accidents and are often able to identify potential risks in time to implement improvements before an incident can occur.
At Red Cross Training, we stock a range first aid supplies to help you to comply with HSE guidance, in accordance with the requirements of your first aid needs assessment. We also offer a wide range of workplace training options including first aid courses, mental health courses and a variety of health and safety courses