The HSE has released the amended HSG L74 – First Aid at Work – Guidance on Regulations publications, but what’s changed?
The amendments include terminology changes, and clarification on the employers’ responsibility to account for the mental health of their employees within in their first aid needs assessment.
Additional technical changes to the document include:
- A change to the term ‘catastrophic bleeding’ to ‘life-threatening bleeding’ and the inclusion of additional guidance on what employers should do if they identify this as a risk in their workplace.
- Simplified guidance on first aid training providers.
This guidance provides clear pointers on whether you may need to review your current First Aid risk assessment to factor in these ‘new inclusions’ and extend current considerations to include the mental health of your employees.
This may include training Mental Health First Aiders or taking a similar approach to comply with the recommendations in the new L74 guide. The document itself offers employers a flexible approach to ensuring their provision meets the standards. You can read the free copy here: https://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/priced/l74.pdf
If you would like support in reviewing your current first aid needs, please contact your Principal Advisor.
