Responsibilities of a First Aider

The Occupational Health and Safety Act in South Africa applies to all workplaces across different companies and industries in the countries, including those who employ fewer than five employees and those employers who are self-employed.

Employers in South Africa must:

• Ensure that they provide adequate, appropriate first-Aid personnel, First Aid Products, and facilities to ensure that all employees can receive immediate attention if they fall ill, or are injured in the workplace during working hours.
• Ensure that non-employees are considered when they assess their first-Aid While employers are not legally obliged to provide first aid to non-employees, employers are strongly urged to include these individuals.

Employers in South Africa can take several approaches towards ensuring that they provide adequate first aid to their employees. One of the most common approaches relates to a prescribed approach, where there is detailed guidance on compliance, including:

• The number of first aiders
• The duties and training of the first aiders
• The number of first aid kits and their contents
• The number of first aid rooms and their specific requirements, where necessary depending on the industry and the company’s nature of business.

The second approach is more systematic and methodological, involving a risk assessment to determine the specific needs. This is a flexible approach, and it involves the employer, first aiders, safety representatives, and the workers coming together to determine what the first aid needs of the organisation are.

Employers in South Africa are required to ensure that they provide adequate facilities to ensure the health, safety, and welfare of employees in the workplace. When there are more than 10 employees in a workplace, the employer must provide first aid equipment and first aid training to employees who are to be appointed as a first aider.

The importance of a first aider cannot be emphasised enough, especially when considering the type of injuries that can occur in any workplace, the nature of activities, and the number of employees who are employed.

For every group of 100 employees, at least one appointed first aider must be readily available during working hours.

This first aider must possess a valid first aid certificate of competency in first aid. Where there are areas of work considered as high-risk or where there are toxic, corrosive, or dangerous substances are processed, manufactured, or handled, the first aider must be trained in the procedures to treat injuries that could result from these activities.

Workplaces must contain first aid signage that is conspicuously placed, indicating the location of the first aid box or boxes in addition to the name of the first aider in the area.

First aiders are considered as the first responders when there are emergencies, injuries, and illnesses before medical services arrive.

The minimum requirements for any first aider are that they must have attended first aid training and they must hold a valid first-Aid certificate. The issuer must be a valid first aid training provider in South Africa and the certificate serves as proof that the first aider has completed training in the following topics:

• The roles, functions, and responsibilities for the first aider
• Management of the emergency scene
• The assessment of the patient in a primary and secondary assessment
• Basic anatomy and physiology including body functions relating to respiratory, circulatory, musculoskeletal, neurological, and integumentary
• Obstructed airways and any other breathing emergencies
• Cardiovascular emergencies including heart attacks and strokes
• The controlling of bleeding, both internally and externally
• The signs and symptoms of shock
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), adult and single rescue
• Trauma and any additional acute medical situations relating to bones, joints, head, spine, skin disruption, and poisoning
• General precautions that can prevent blood and body fluid exposure
• Basic infection control