Frequently Asked Questions
First Aid
Should each company organise first aid?
What is the content of the first aid cabinet?
Should every company dispose of a place to rest?
Should every company dispose of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)?
How many employees must follow the first aid training? What does this training consist of?
Should each company organise first aid?
The organisation of first aid in the working environment is detailed in the law.
Every employer is obliged to take measures to ensure an efficient organisation of first aid on the shop floor. Those measures aim at:
- giving the victim(s) of the accident or illness as soon as possible the urgent care and assistance of a physician (…);
- ensuring the first aid is given in a decent room
- accompanying them to this room if they are not capable of going there themselves;
- ensuring their transport if required either to their home, or to a hospital;
- maintaining the required contacts thereto with any external services.
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Every company must at least have first aid means in one or more cabinets or boxes. The composition thereof depends on the nature of the company or workplace, and has been stipulated by law.
In general, a first aid cabinet must contain:
- disposable gloves,
- dressing material: pressure bandage, triangle bandage, swathes, wound and sticking plasters,
- sterile compresses,
- cleaning and antiseptic means,
- cold pack (compress to apply cold),
- eye rinsing means,
- scissors,
- splinter tweezers,
- sterile needles,
- clinical thermometer,
- survival blanket,
- plastic bags,
- breathing mask or face cloth.
The number of boxes and cabinets depends on the size of the company and the diversity of the workplaces. At least one box per section or workplace must be provided. (top)
Should every company dispose of a place to rest?
Yes. The first aid for an injured or sick person must be provided in a ‘decent room’.
The injured persons must be accompanied to this room where they can rest in fairly comfortable circumstances in the position required for their health situation. The room must be free of any damaging influences, must be well ventilated and lighted. It must also be heated and hot water must be available. (top)
Should every company dispose of an Automatic External Defibrillator (AED)?
No. Anyone may use an automatic external defibrillator for resuscitation in accordance to the stipulations determined by the king of Belgium.
There are 2 categories of AEDs:
- category 1: automatic position only, to be used by professional and non-professional users;
- category 2: automatic and manual position, with display, only to be used by professional users (=physicians, nurses and relief workers – ambulance workers).
The AED must be registered with the authorities.
At least every month and certainly after each use, the working of the AED must be checked (to be kept in a register).
Before using the AED, the AED user must check the health situation of the patient, and should only use the AED when the patient is unconscious and is no longer breathing normally. (top)
How many employees must follow the first aid training? What does this training consist of?
From way back, the ARAB (General Regulations for Industrial Safety) determine that:
- in industrial enterprises normally employing at least 20 employees at the same time or 50 employees for non-industrial enterprises, first aid must be provided by a relief worker disposing of a certificate.
- in all other enterprises, first aid may be provided by a person indicated thereto by the employer who has been appointed to store and use the first aid means. This person does not need to dispose of a certificate.
Only training institutions (like IDEWE) appointed by the authorities, are entitled to grant the certificate of relief worker. The basic training consists of various modules that will enable the relief worker to provide the correct help. For quality reasons, IDEWE advises relief workers to regularly follow refresher courses. (top)
For any further information, please contact your prevention consultant-occupational physician or your regional IDEWE-IBEVE secretariat.
