4.3.3. Advice to, and supervision of, first-aid personnel

The provision of first aid is a responsibility of the employer, who is also responsible for ensuring that the system established for first aid will function when the need arises. In addition to the need for “managerial” supervision deriving from this principle, it is also necessary to provide first-aid personnel with adequate technical advice (backstopping). This should come from the occupational health service. If an occupational health service does not exist, the employer should locate and consult any other medically qualified source of advice for this purpose.

The “managerial” supervision of first-aid personnel will, in many cases, be entrusted to the person or persons with responsibility for safety in the enterprise (a specifically identified safety officer, a plant manager or any other person appointed by the employer) or to the occupational health service, where this exists. By implication, compliance with first-aid regulations and the proper functioning of first aid will be supervised by the labour inspectorate or other institutions as part of their supervisory role in conformity with safety and health regulations.