RIDDOR Changes - April 2012 update

New Regulations on Over Seven Day Reporting Introduced from April 6th

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has released details of the upcoming changes to their RIDDOR regulations, due to come into effect from April 6th 2012.

The main changes are as follows:

The reporting requirement for over-three-day injuries changes to become over-seven-day injuries.  From April 6th, work-related injuries must be reported where they have resulted in a worker becoming incapacitated for more than seven consecutive days, not including the day of the accident (but including rest days and weekends).  They must be reported within 15 days of the date of the accident.  Over-3-day injuries must still be formally recorded (but not reported) if a worker has been incapacitated for more than 3 consecutive days.

The HSE’s “A guide to the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995” has also been updated to reflect the changes to online and telephone reporting.  The telephone reporting service remains for fatal and major injuries only (via the Incident Contact Centre, on 0845 300 9923).  All types of incident can be reported online at www.hse.gov.uk/riddor, using the appropriate form, which is automatically then submitted to the RIDDOR database.  Reporting also remains available by post.

Updated RIDDOR ebook

To reflect the latest changes, we have also updated our downloadable "What is RIDDOR" ebook, which provides you with a summary of the latest regulations. 

RIDDOR Changes

Changes to the way Incidents are reported to the HSE have come into effect.

Businesses have a responsibility to report incidents and accidents under the RIDDOR regulations. Up to now it has been possible to do that by phoning the HSE. However on 12 September this system was moved to an online reporting system.

From 30 September 2011 anyone seeking basic health and safety advice from the HSE Infoline telephone service needs to know that this service will cease to exist. Businesses will instead be directed to the HSE's RIDDOR website. This is a vast website with a variety of matters covered.

Only fatalities and major injuries can now be reported via the phone to the HSE. It is recognised that in these traumatic cases, speaking to another human who can help them, is the most beneficial way of dealing with the situation.

All other work related injuries which are reportable under RIDDOR can be reported using one of 7 new online forms.

For more details, you can visit the HSE's RIDDOR website, or download our RIDDOR mini e-book.

NEW  BS 8599 Standard First Aid Kit Introduced

A new British Standard Workplace First aid Kit was launched under BS 8599 on 30th June 2011.  Although under the Health & Safety (First Aid) regulations 1981, it is not mandatory to have a kit which complies with the BS 8599 standard, the change should prompt employers to review their kits, to check that they are in-date, and suitable for their requirements.

The HSE state that employers should do a first aid risk assessment to determine the level of kit that is needed, and to match that kit to their needs assessment.  In other words, the options for workplaces are:

1. Within your workplace you have access to a first aid kit whose contents comply with BS 8599 and matches your needs assessment; or
2. Within your workplace you have access to a first aid kit whose contents matches your needs assessment but does not comply with the requirements of BS 8599.

First Aid Training in Northampton - New Venue Announcement

Brampton Heath Golf Centre is the latest addition to our range of first aid training venues.

Set in beautiful countryside, and yet only a few minutes from the centre of Northampton, and in close proximity to the Moulton Park, Kings Heath and Lodge Farm Industrial Estates, Brampton Heath is the perfect place to learn.

First Aid Training in High Wycombe - New Venue Announcement

 We are delighted to announce that we have now extended our list of venues for our full range of first aid training courses to include Wycombe Heights Golf Centre.

Wycombe Heights Golf Centre is set in beautiful and peaceful surroundings, and has just undergone major upgrade works.  We feel that it is the perfect venue in which to learn essential life skills such as first aid.

Facilities are excellent, with plenty of parking and a restaurant and bar where course candidates are able to purchase a range of hot and cold foood for lunch at very reasonable prices.

New Resuscitation Guidelines 2010

Yesterday, 18 October 2010 new Guidelines for resuscitation were released by the UK Resuscitation council following a review of best practice.
It is well recognised that initiating the Chain of Survival improves outcomes and leads to more people surviving cardiac arrest.

Basic CPR is unlikely to restart a heart that has stopped beating, but it does help keep blood flowing to the brain and helps keep that functioning so that when a defibrillator is used hopefully the heart will restart.

The chest compression component of CPR is therefore crucial in generating that blood flow. As such although the changes that have been made are fairly minimal from a first aid point of view, emphasis has been made on ensuring that good quality chest compressions are achieved in order to minimise the time spent without blood flowing around the body.

Resuscitation Changes

Compression plus Rescue Breaths:

This continues to be the best method of CPR for trained lay-people (i.e. first aiders etc) and healthcare professionals.  Adjustments to guidelines are as follows...

Compressions need to be faster and harder than before. Compressions should now be a rate of 100-120 per minute and should be pushed down to a depth of 5-6 cm.

Changes have also focused on the need to ask for an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) if one is available when calling for help (999).

The guidance states :

Those that have been trained i.e. First aiders and those people with a duty of care such as  lifeguards and childminders should continue to do mouth to mouth ventilations as part of the sequence shown below.

Compression-only CPR

• If you are not trained to, or are unwilling to give rescue breaths, give chest
  compressions only.
• If chest compressions only are given, these should be continuous at a rate of
  100 - 120 per minute.
• Stop to recheck the victim only if he starts to show signs of regaining
  consciousness, such as coughing, opening his eyes, speaking, or moving
  purposefully AND starts to breathe normally; otherwise do not interrupt
  resuscitation.
• Continue resuscitation until:
• qualified help arrives and takes over
• the victim starts to show signs of regaining consciousness, such as
  coughing, opening his eyes, speaking, or moving purposefully AND starts to
  breathe normally, OR
• you become exhausted.

For further reading and information please see

www.resus.org.uk

For further comment on these changes please see

http://blog.hts-training.co.uk/2010/10/resuscitation-guidelines-2010/ 

HSE Updates First Aid at Work Guidance

From 1 October 2009, the Health and Safety Executive introduced changes to the first aid training regime to give businesses and organisations greater flexibility. While they did not change the underlying legislation, there are significant changes to the supporting guidance.

The HSE has changed the full First Aid at Work training course specification from a four-day to a new three-day format.  The one day Emergency First Aid at Work course is now a fully regulated course, with an HSE-recognised EFAW 3-year certificate.

The HSE have also introduced the strong recommendation that all first aiders undertake an annual half-day First Aid at Work refresher course, regardless of which first aid certificate they hold.

For more details on the new guidelines, see the updated first aid guidance from the HSE.

Please see HTS Training Ltd's list of accredited first aid training courses for details on how to ensure your first aiders are up to date with their first aid qualifications.