How many First Aiders are Required in a Workplace?
Do you have enough first aiders in your company? One of the first questions managers ask when assessing their first aid needs is, 'How many first aiders do I need?' 'It depends,' is a frequently frustrating answer. The number of first responders required is not solely determined by the number of employees but it will also depend upon the risks present in your particular workplace. In this article, we will look at how many first aiders are required in a workplace in high-risk and low-risk environments.
Please note, our recommendations are for your guidance only and you will need to undertake a full first aid needs assessment to correctly identify your First Aid requirements.
Accidents at the Workplace can Arise at any Moment.
Accidents in the workplace happen all the time. When they happen, they can cause serious injuries or even death.
The top causes of workplace accidents in all industry sectors are listed below:
- 29% slip, trip, and fall.
- 22% manual lifting and handling
- 10% struck by an object
- 8% fall from great heights.
- 7% acts of violence
- 4% contact with machinery.
- 4 % strike against something fixed/stationary
As a manager, it’s your job to follow the first aid and HSE requirements in your country, to prevent workplace accidents and to implement emergency response procedures. Training your employees in CPR and first aid is important. Employees who are trained to deliver CPR and first aid at work will be able to respond to a medical emergency before the ambulance arrives. Thus, their action could make the difference between life and death.
Low Risk VS High Risk Environment in First Aid at Work
A low risk environment at the workplace can be considered as an office setting or a conference room. Somewhere, people are not performing many physical tasks and are only using low-risk equipment such as computers, desks, and chairs.
A high risk environment is somewhere like a construction site, warehouse, or manufacturing facility, where the nature of the work and the equipment used increases the likelihood of an accident occurring.
How many First Aiders do I Need?
Every employee should be able to get immediate assistance if they are injured or become ill. The more people who are trained in first aid in a workplace, the better your chances of responding properly before an ambulance arrives. A company's ideal situation would be for every employee to be trained in first aid.
There are no exact rules about how many first aiders you must provide. However there is a legal requirement in Thailand to provide adequate first aid equipment, facilities and people, so your employees can get immediate help should an accident or medical situation occur.
The table below will help you decide the number of first aiders that you will need to cover. Please note that there's a difference between the number of first aiders for cover, and the number of trained first aiders that you need to train. When looking at your training needs, triple the number of first aiders from the table below.
| Workers | Low Risk Environment | High Risk Environment |
| 1 to 5 | 1 First Aider | 1 First Aider |
| 5 to 25 | 1 First Aiders | 2 First Aiders |
| 25 to 50 | 2 First Aiders | 3 First Aiders |
| 50 to 100 | 3 First Aiders | 4 First Aiders |
Working in a high-risk environment increases the likelihood of an accident occurring, so having more first aiders makes sense. In comparison, if you work in an environment where accidents are extremely unlikely, your first aid requirements will be lower.
Special Considerations
If your organization is spread out over a large area or has multiple sites, you will need people with first aid training located at strategic distances to ensure they can get to an incident quickly.
If you have shift workers or people working out of hours (for example, cleaners) you will need to ensure that there is cover whenever people are in the workplace. Don’t forget to factor in holiday cover, too.
If you have a mobile workforce, each member of staff should ideally have some basic first aid training.
How can I choose a first aider at work?
Before choosing a first responder, it is important considering if the employee:
- can enjoy and be passionate about First Aid.
- is a good communicator and if he likes interacting with others.
- has the confidence and reliability to cope with an emergency.
If you require first responders at the workplace, the location is an important factor to take into account. You should ask yourself if:
- the employee is readily available.
- the employee is often away at meetings or on business.
- if the employee is easy to find in a crisis.
We deliver High-quality CPR First Aid Training in Bangkok and Everywhere in Thailand.
As an accredited American Heart Association training provider, we are committed to delivering First Aid CPR AED courses that are high-quality, interactive, and practical, ensuring that all our attendees leave with the practical skills and confidence to save lives. We provide local and international certificates which are valid for 2 years.
If you have a group of minimum 5 participants, we can deliver courses on your premises. We deliver onsite training courses that encompass adult, pediatric (child and infant) CPR AED and First Aid skills. We also offer a comprehensive First Aid at Work course specifically designed to meet national and international compliance standards for CPR and first aid courses in the workplace.
# See our first aid training courses for the workplace, by clicking here. If you need a quotation, please contact us.
