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THE LAW WHAT ARE HAULIERS REQUIRED TO DO?

4th June 2009, Page 44
4th June 2009
Page 44
Page 44, 4th June 2009 — THE LAW WHAT ARE HAULIERS REQUIRED TO DO?
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

The law on what a company needs to do about first aid is not precise. There is, for example, no standard list of items to be put in a first aid box. Nor is there a statutory number of first-alders required, although there should be at least one appointed person on duty at any time in a workplace to take charge if an accident occurs.

The basic regulations are contained in the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, which require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given if someone hurts themselves or becomes ill at work.

What is adequate and appropriate depends on individual workplaces. How many first-aiders a company trains is usually worked out by the firm itself, and is based on a risk assessment the riskier the workplace, the more first-aiders an employer should consider training.

There is no obligation for truck drivers to have a first aid qualification, although those with an ADR licence are an exception (see below). Nevertheless, many drivers of all types believe a first aid qualification is beneficial, not least because they often pass road accidents where they might be able to assist.

A spokesman for the Health & Safety Executive says that although there is no fixed number of first-alders required, a working figure is one for every premises, and an additional one for every 50 staff.

He adds: "Despite the myths, most

• cm, UK safety legislation is not prescriptive. It is based on risk assessments done by people themselves."

This does not mean that considering first aid is not important. Any company's risk assessment is likely to come under particular scrutiny in the wake of an accident, so anybody keen to minimise the potential legal consequences of an accident at work is likely to feel far more comfortable if their risk assessment is comprehensive.

For hauliers, this would obviously include greater provision for first aid in certain areas of operation, such as where forklifts are used or in warehouses where there is any sort of risk from the goods handled. Not only will a good risk assessment and first aid policy help keep the workforce safe, but it may protect the firm from prosecution in the event of an accident causing injury or death.

For drivers themselves, a first aid certificate is usually not a legal requirement. Chris Fylan, regional manager North-West for Skills for Logistics (SfL), says: "Whilst first aid training and fire fighting would be useful training to have, it is up to the individual company to decide whether they would include this as part of their drivers' training."

The exception, adds Fylan, is for those with an ADR licence, such as petroleum and chemical tanker drivers, who learn the basics of first aid and fire training while taking their ADR and then have a refresher course every five years.

Fylan adds: "Occasionally, logistics customers stipulate that the drivers receive this type of training as part of the contract in order to protect the goods, but this is not a common practice."

Nevertheless, Fylan says SfL encourages firms to include first aid and fire training for their drivers "as it is vital that drivers are prepared, even if it is being aware of where the boundaries are in what to do and what not to do in hazardous situations".

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