Understanding First Aid Officer Responsibilities: A Comprehensive Guide

First Aid encompasses emergency care which is to be given to anyone who becomes ill or injured due to an accident or some internal bodily causes. They also help victims who suffer stings or bites from insects or animals. First Aid focuses on addressing all injured and unwell individuals to receive prompt and effective care. First Aid is taught to the general public in their academic classes; however, to be professional with first aid procedures and provide immediate first Aid with total professionalism, one must be a trained first aider. To become a first aider, they must have designated first aid qualifications from registered training organisations.  

Australians are more outgoing as well as industrious workers, but due to bad luck or any other carelessness or problem with devices in the workplace, first Aid is needed. Providing first Aid can be an effective career perspective; thus, there are professionals in the first aid industry. Among such professionals is First Aid Officers. In this blog, we will look into the details of what are first aid officers, their legal requirements, and their duties. But first, let’s start with the types of first aiders. 

 

Types of First Aiders 

First aiders are individuals who respond to emergencies and address people at harm. In most situations, they care for either ill or injured people. Let’s look into the types of first aiders. 

 

“Duty of Care’ first aider

An assumed “duty of care” first aider offers his first aid services to people who are participants in any event or activity planned under the auspices of a particular organisation. These First Aiders cover more casual scenarios and act as volunteer leaders for a community sports club, village hall, walking group, or planned social event. As a result, a first responder has the same obligations as in a job. 

 

‘Mental Health’ first aider

In most situations, physical first Aid is crucial, but what about mental health first Aid? We saw a soaring number of mental health issues in past years of the COVID pandemic and how mental health professionals stepped in to provide them with consulting and mental health first aid. Thus, at present, mental health is given special care. Employers must ensure their employees have better mental health and make mental first aid care available if needed. And for this, a mental health first aider is crucial. 

 

‘Workplace’ first aider

Here, a competent and trained first aider is nominated and then ‘appointed’ as the primary first aid provider in a workplace. 

 

‘Alternative workplace’ first aider

In most cases, an alternative to the primary workplace first aider is the alternative workplace first aider. For this, an employer has to make an effort. 

 

Who is a First Aid Officer? 

As per the First Aid in Workplace Code of Practice, a first aider is defined as someone who has successfully completed a nationally recognised training course or an equivalent level of training and possesses the abilities necessary to provide first Aid across Australia. A First Aid Officer serves in organisations, offices, factories, airports, ships, laboratories, and other workplaces. 

 

Scope of First Aid Officer in Australia 

There are many first-aid courses available. Some of them are:

• Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) (HLTAID009) 
• Provide basic emergency life support (HLTAID010) 
• Provide first Aid (HLTAID011) 
• Provide First Aid in an education and care setting (HLTAID012) 
• Occupational first aid skill set (HLTSS00068) 
• Provide First Aid in remote or isolated sites (HLTAID013) 

 In Australia, first aid officers are typically paid between AUD60,000 and AUD80,000 a year, according to Jora Salaries.

First Aid Officers are provided with an allowance of AUD 11.22 per week.

 

Major duties of a First Aid Officer in the workplace 

The Work Health and Safety Act and Regulations(Australia) imposes obligations on first aid officers, states the provision of proper first aid facilities in the workplace and offers a thorough understanding of first aid supplies, protocols, procedures, facilities, and training. Let’s look into the details of the role of a first aid officer. 

• They must provide professional first aid treatment.

The First Aid Officer is trained to act promptly on all first aid cases, administer First Aid and CPR, and recover consciousness while waiting for the emergency medical care team with an ambulance to arrive. To employ first Aid, these officers should have access to a fully equipped first aid kit. 

 

• They can prevent infection.

Prior to helping the victims, a first aid officer constantly maintains rigorous standards for personal hygiene. They must avoid any contamination related to bodily fluids and infectious items using proper attire or safety equipment. Also, they must wash before and after providing first Aid, use disposable gloves and other personal protective equipment, and correctly dispose of contaminated items and sharps. 

 

• They must provide comfort and reassurance.

A skilled first aider manages the crisis situation while maintaining calm but vigilant nature. Regardless of the circumstance, their ability to comprehend the injured person’s position, know what to do, and reassure other staff members is crucial. They should calm down people near an emergency. Not only is a first-aid officer crucial for the victim’s care, but also for those in hazard who can be directly or indirectly impacted. A first-aid officer will assist in calming down the situation and direct other victims to the closest exit or place of safety during an emergency. Along with that, they must make a careful observation of the scene and make sure nobody is left behind to get the emergency service to stay away from the dangers and risks involved. 

 

• Assisting employers with first aid assessments.

The first aid officer’s responsibility in an emergency is to analyse the situation and prepare first aid assessments. When it comes to compiling incident reports and conducting investigations, these assessments might be useful for employers or investigators. 

 

• They ensure your own safety in the situation.

A first aid officer is someone who is alert of him/herself as well as victims. Thus, when they are providing service, they take care of themselves where they follow all necessary precautions for their own safety. 

 

• They must know their first aid equipment.

First aid officers are well-versed in the tools they will be using. They always make sure that their equipment is in good working order. They should regularly inspect and maintain first aid supplies (such as first aid kits, facilities, etc.) 

 

• They must provide mental health first Aid.

If the first aid officer has received training in mental health first aid, they can help by offering assistance in cases of mental crises. Mental health first aid is the help first aiders give to someone experiencing a mental health problem or worsening of a mental health problem or any immediate mental health crisis. Mental health first aid can help people experiencing: depression, anxiety problems, substance use problems, eating disorders, etc. 

 

• They work to solve/heal injury or illness.

Any small or big workplace injuries encountered by victims will be addressed by a first-aid officer, who assists in keeping track of all staff members’ medical information. This medical information helps organisations to identify medical emergencies, which employees are more vulnerable to certain medical issues, those who already have them, and those who require additional Aid during ordinary work hours. 

 

• They must have a well-maintained first aid room.

A first aid room, medical room, or infirmary is a place where someone is hurt or taken for first Aid while they wait for professional emergency medical services to arrive. A first aid officer needs to check the first aid room’s condition because these spaces need to be easily accessible, clearly marked, and equipped with a sink and drinking water, first aid supplies, an examination/medical couch, a communication device, and a record book for keeping track of incidents. 

 

• Always check on their competencies.

It’s important to keep in mind that accidents and illnesses can occur at any time. When people are at work, first aid supplies must be accessible at all times. In most cases, a First Aid Officer must be clear and competent, including driving the employee back home. Both the first aid provider and the employee must fill out and sign an incident form. However, if the first aider is not competent to drive, the third party has to be contacted. 

Overall, to ensure safe working conditions, first aid officers must adhere to legal requirements and safety regulations. They must take care to prevent hazardous conditions and risks that could jeopardise the general public. 

 

Qualities of a good first aid officer 

• The first aid officer should be prompt when it comes to providing help to the victim. 
• The first aid officer should have full faith in his skill when performing first aid service. They must have a vivid idea of the immediate treatment to be given even before a complete diagnosis, especially when a person is seriously injured or suffering severe bleeding or the wound is critical. 
• First aid officers should be calm, controlled, and precise when it comes to using the kits (which have bandages, adhesive tape, scissors, antiseptic cream and disposable gloves) or devices such as automated defibrillators(AED). 
• The first aid officer should make themselves able to comfortable with the victim’s fears and show some sympathy and empathy. 
• The first aid officer should be resourceful enough to have his first aid material on the spot to give immediate relief to the victim. 

 

How to Become a Best First Aid Officer in Australia? 

You must have a first-aid certificate of HLTAID003 Provide First Aid, and valid HLTAID001 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation accreditation along with first aid training. The fundamental training needed to work as a first aid officer is the Provide First Aid Certificate HLTAID011. Every three years, first aid officers are required to renew first aid certification, and every year, CPR refresher training and classes are to be updated. Let’s look at the courses in brief. 

 

HLTAID003 Provide First Aid

Candidates for the First Aid Pro – HLTAID003 Provide First Aid course are qualified to fulfil the essential requirements for workplace first aid compliance. 

Anyone working in nursing, health care, elderly care, education, tradies, fitness, personal training, or any other field would benefit greatly from doing the HLTAID003 Provide First Aid course. 

 

HLTAID001 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation

HLTAID001 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation provides candidates with the skills and knowledge to recognise an unconscious or a non-breathing casualty, normally(Cardiac Arrest) and perform potentially lifesaving cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). This course offers you professional and certified use of state-of-the-art equipment, tools, and techniques to help you confidently manage any CPR emergency. 

 

HLTAID011 Provide First Aid

Another minimal standard for workplace first aid compliance is HLTAID011 Provide First Aid. In this course, candidates will acquire the abilities and know-how needed to respond to emergencies, handle casualties, and collaborate with other first responders. The guidelines of the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) are followed throughout the training for HLTAID011 Provide First Aid. 

 

Where to study First Aid courses to become a professional First Aid Officer? 

As discussed above, you can pursue Provide First Aid Certificate HLTAID011 to be nominated for becoming a First Aid officer. And at Bright College, the best college for first-aid courses in Australia, we offer  

• HLTAID011 Provide First Aid 
• HLTAID009 Provide cardiopulmonary resuscitation 
• HLTAID012 Provide First Aid in an education and care setting 

Talking about HLTAID011 Provide First Aid in Bright College, we cover first aid skills and knowledge with first aid guidelines determined by the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) and other Australian national peak clinical bodies. The course is taught for 1 day, and classes are run face-to-face with online learning. After completing the online coursework and all examinations and demonstrating competency as judged by the Assessor, students will get a Statement of Attainment. 

Contact us for further information. We will ensure to inform you about our best first aid courses. We are certain that with our teachings and dedication, we will be able to produce competent first aid officers in Australia.