First Aid Safety Instruction

Educational guidance on how workplace induction and safety instruction generally work — connected to workplace safety, occupations, industries, employment documents and company types. Informational only — not certified training, not an official qualification and not a substitute for mandatory workplace instruction; employers remain responsible for required training, competence and authorisation.

What this instruction covers

This page outlines, in general educational terms, the safety information around first aid at work — what it is for, how help is summoned, the role of trained first aiders, and what any worker can safely do while help is on the way.

It is awareness material, not training. Acting as a workplace first aider requires recognised first aid training; this page does not deliver, replace or satisfy that.

Why first aid arrangements matter

• Prompt help can keep someone alive and prevent a minor injury becoming serious.
• Workplaces differ in their hazards, so first aid needs are assessed for each.
• Acting beyond your training can cause harm; knowing your limits matters.
• Calling for help quickly is often the single most important action.

Who this is for

• All workers, who should know how to get help in an emergency.
• Trained first aiders and appointed persons as a general awareness reference.
• Supervisors who manage first aid arrangements in their area.
• New starters before being told the site’s first aid arrangements.

What to do if someone is injured or ill

• Make sure the scene is safe before approaching — do not become a second casualty.
• Call a trained first aider and summon further help or the emergency services as needed.
• Stay with the person, reassure them and do only what you are trained and able to do safely.
• Pass on clear information to the first aider or emergency services when they arrive.

First aid provision & equipment

• Trained first aiders or appointed persons, suited to the workplace and its risks.
• First aid kits, stocked and accessible, and any additional equipment the assessment requires.
• Clear information on who the first aiders are and how to contact them.
• The level of provision is set by the employer’s first aid needs assessment.

Knowing the arrangements

• Know who the first aiders are and how to reach them.
• Know where the first aid kit and any equipment are kept.
• Know how to call for help and the address to give the emergency services.
• Report a missing first aider, an empty kit or unclear arrangements.

The role of trained first aiders

• Trained first aiders provide care within the limits of their training until professional help arrives.
• They are not a substitute for the emergency services in a serious or life-threatening situation.
• Untrained workers help best by summoning a first aider and the emergency services and keeping the scene safe.
• The first aid arrangements and who is trained are set by the employer — not by this page.

What untrained workers can and cannot do

• Anyone can call for help, make the scene safe and reassure an injured person.
• Do not attempt first aid procedures you have not been trained to carry out.
• Do not move a seriously injured person unless they are in immediate danger.
• Acting as a first aider requires training; this page does not provide it.

Emergency response & reporting

• In a serious or life-threatening situation, call the emergency services without delay.
• Send someone to direct the ambulance and to fetch a first aider and any equipment.
• Stay with the casualty and follow the first aider’s or call handler’s guidance.
• Report injuries, illnesses and near misses through the site’s reporting route afterwards.

Training & competence

Employers are generally expected to assess their first aid needs and provide suitable first aiders, equipment and information. Acting as a workplace first aider requires completing a recognised first aid course, and that training is refreshed at intervals.

Instruction such as this page is information, not competence. Reading it does not make anyone a qualified first aider; that comes from recognised first aid training, not from awareness material.

Documentation

• The first aid needs assessment for the workplace.
• Records of first aiders, their training and refresher dates.
• Accident records and reports of injuries and near misses.
• A record documents what was provided; it is not, by itself, proof of competence.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Attempting first aid procedures without the training to do them safely.
• Delaying the call to the emergency services in a serious situation.
• Approaching an unsafe scene and becoming a second casualty.
• Treating awareness material as recognised first aid training.

Who is responsible

The employer is responsible for assessing first aid needs, providing trained first aiders and equipment, informing workers of the arrangements and keeping records. This page is an educational outline only.

It does not deliver first aid training, make anyone a first aider, satisfy any legal requirement, or transfer the employer’s responsibility for first aid provision.