Citation and commencement

1. These Regulations may be cited as the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 and shall come into operation on 1st July 1982.

Interpretation

2.-(1) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires-

"first-aid" means-

"mine" means a mine within the meaning of section 180 of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954(2).

(2) In these Regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, any reference to-

(a)a numbered Regulation or Schedule is a reference to the Regulation of, or Schedule to, these Regulations bearing that number;

(b)a numbered paragraph is a reference to the paragraph bearing that number in the Regulation in which the reference appears.

Duty of employer to make provision for first-aid

3.-(1) An employer shall provide, or ensure that there are provided, such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first-aid to be rendered to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work.

(2) Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), an employer shall provide, or ensure that there is provided, such number of suitable persons as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering first-aid to his employees if they are injured or become ill at work; and for this purpose a person shall not be suitable unless he has undergone-

(a)such training and has such qualification as the Health and Safety Executive may approve for the time being in respect of that case or class of case, and

(b)such additional training, if any, as may be appropriate in the circumstances of that case.

(3) Where a person provided under paragraph (2) is absent in temporary and exceptional circumstances it shall be sufficient compliance with that paragraph if the employer appoints a person, or ensures that a person is appointed, to take charge of-

(a)the situation relating to an injured or ill employee who will need help from a medical practitioner or nurse, and

(b)the equipment and facilities provided under paragraph (1)

throughout the period of any such absence.

(4) Where having regard to-

(a)the nature of the undertaking, and

(b)the number of employees at work, and

(c)the location of the establishment,

it would be adequate and appropriate if instead of a person for rendering first-aid there was a person appointed to take charge as in paragraph (3)(a) and (b), then instead of complying with paragraph (2) the employer may appoint such a person, or ensure that such a person is appointed.

Duty of employer to inform his employees of the arrangements made in connection with first-aid

4. An employer shall inform his employees of the arrangements that have been made in connection with the provision of first-aid, including the location of equipment, facilities and personnel.

Duty of self-employed person to provide first-aid equipment

5. A self-employed person shall provide, or ensure that there is provided, such equipment, if any, as is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances to enable him to render first-aid to himself while he is at work.

Power to grant exemptions

6.-(1) Subject to paragraph (2), the Health and Safety Executive may, by a certificate in writing, exempt any person or class of persons, from any of the requirements imposed by these Regulations, and any such exemption may be granted subject to conditions and to a limit of time and may be revoked at any time.

(2) The Executive shall not grant any such exemption unless, having regard to the circumstances of the case, and in particular to-

(a)the conditions, if any, which it proposes to attach to the exemption, and

(b)any other requirements imposed by or under any enactment which apply to the case,

it is satisfied that the health, safety and welfare of employees and self-employed persons and the health and safety of other persons who are likely to be affected by the exemption will not be prejudiced in consequence of it.

Cases where these Regulations do not apply

7. These Regulations shall not apply-

(a)where the Diving Operations at Work Regulations 1981 apply;

(b)where the Merchant Shipping (Medical Scales) (Fishing Vessels) Regulations 1974 apply;

(c)where the Merchant Shipping (Medical Scales) Regulations 1974 apply;

(d)on vessels which are registered outside the United Kingdom;

(e)to a mine of coal, stratified ironstone, shale or fireclay;

(f)in respect of the armed forces of the Crown and any force to which any provision of the Visiting Forces Act 1952 applies.

Application to miscellaneous mines

8. In their application to mines not excluded from these Regulations by Regulation 7(e), Regulations 3 and 4 shall have effect as if the manager for the time being of any such mine were an employer and as if the persons employed were his employees.

Application offshore

9. Subject to Regulation 7, these Regulations shall apply to and in relation to any premises or activity to or in relation to which sections 1 to 59 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 apply by virtue of Articles 6 and 7(a), (b) and (d) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 1977 (which relate respectively to mines extending beyond Great Britain and to certain activities concerning vessels and construction works in territorial waters).

Repeals, revocations and modification

10.-(1) The enactments mentioned in column (1) of Schedule 1 are hereby repealed to the extent specified opposite thereto in column (3) of that Schedule.

(2) The Orders and Regulations mentioned in column (1) of Schedule 2 are hereby revoked to the extent specified opposite thereto in column (3) of that Schedule.

(3) Section 91(1) of the Mines and Quarries Act 1954 shall be modified by after the words "every mine" inserting the words "of coal, stratified ironstone, shale or fireclay".

Regulation 10(1)

SCHEDULE 1REPEALS

Regulation 10(2)

SCHEDULE 2REVOCATIONS

EXPLANATORY NOTE

These Regulations provide that an employer shall make first-aid arrangements for his employees or shall ensure that these are made and that he shall inform his employees of such arrangements. The Regulations further provide that a self-employed person shall provide first-aid equipment for himself or shall ensure that it is provided.

The Regulations apply, subject to the exceptions set out in Regulation 7, to all employment in Great Britain and to certain employment offshore as specified in Regulation 9.

The Regulations supersede existing provisions (listed in Schedules 1 and 2) which are repealed or revoked.

A code of practice approved by the Health and Safety Commission under section 16(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and to be published before the Regulations come into operation will give practical guidance on the Regulations.