Voluntary work & First aid

[Tangaroa]

Hi,

Does anyone know if it is a legal requirement for someone in a volunteer group to have a first aid certificate?

I am hoping to have a small volunteer group balsam bashing this spring but I have just noticed that my first aid certificate has run out (which was a bit silly, I know ).

Thanks for your help......

[Matt Smith]

Not as far as I know, though it may depend on where you are going to visit - some landowners may insist on it.

[minxski]

Hi Tangaroa

Volunteering comes under civil law – so VERY basically, in criminal law authorities can put you in prison and fine companies/individuals, in civil law individuals sue you.

The HSE does have some guidance on volunteering, with regards to legal requirements How do civil law and health and safety law apply?

It all really boils down to mitigating risk. Cover all your bases, if you will. You could state that you took reasonable care by putting control measures in place.

For instance:

• Your team is working next door to an A&E dept, therefore, there is no necessity to have a First Aider as part of your team, as you are able to reach A&E within 4 mins.
• St John Ambulance will be in attendance – no need for First Aider
• Part of the team are made up of medical practitioners (such as nurses or doctors) – no need for First Aider
• Activity being undertaken by lots of small groups of volunteers and we are sharing First Aiders
• Making sure everyone on the team is aware of the measures you have taken, give them a handout (A4 piece of paper), stating what happens in case of a medical emergency

etc etc etc (Yul Brynner quote)

Saying all of that, you could just talk to Red Cross, St John Ambulance or other First Aid training organisation and ask them if they do mini courses. Remember the First Aid at Work Certificate, is just that, it’s designed for first aid at work ~ you are not at work and just require basic first aid training I would imagine

[eeyore]

also remember that first aid cover may be (probably is) a condition of your liability insurance policy, and quite possibly a requirement of your employer/ organisation you are working on behalf of.

St johns/red cross etc do 1 day emergency first aid, one day appointed persons, and 3 or 4 day first aid at work courses - if you are leading groups regularly it would be worth doing the latter - but if this is a one off you can get by with one of the former.

[APC]

All people who are alive should have emergency first aid as a minimum regardless of what they do and where they do it. Weathermen should have it. Coppicers should have it. Parcel delivery people should have it. Everyone Ever should have it.

Other than that, Minxski summed it up.