Mandatory Safety Training
Employers are required to maintain sufficient numbers of staff with recognised qualifications under safety legislation. In order to assist heads of operational units in meeting their responsibilities Safety Office coordinates first time and refresher training in these two key areas:
First Aid (at least one first aider for every 50 employees)
Display Screen Equipment Assessors (available to perform an assessment for anyone who uses display screen equipment, including lap tops, which means most staff and students).
You should ensure that your department or unit meets these minimum requirements and if there is any shortfall you need to either identify a suitable number of personnel to receive training or make arrangements to ensure that your staff are covered by a formal arrangement with another unit. If you decide to train up your own staff you should ensure that they are released to receive training and undertake the assessments they require to become qualified. For first aid training we can arrange either training for those who have not been first aiders in the past (30 hours) or a (shorter) refresher course for those who are within three years of their last first aid qualification.
Further details can be found here for first time first aid training and here for first aid refresher training. Further details on training for DSEA can be found here.
Training for both First Aiders and Display Screen Equipment Assessors leads to an accredited qualification and is provided on-site at present by St. John’s Ambulance or Occupational Safety and Health Council. Evidence of prior First Aid Certificates is required for a refresher first aid course and evidence of educational qualifications is required for Display Screen Equipment Assessors. The costs of training are very reasonable but will need to be met by the trainee’s department or operational unit. Safety Office arranges these courses on a regular basis. If you wish to arrange for a colleague to receive training please contact Safety Office on safety@hku.hk.
In addition you may wish to consider supporting your staff in receiving training in
Cardiopulmonary Resucitation (CPR)
Use of Automated Electronic Defibrilators (AED’s)
While not required by law, staff with this training are better prepared to assist in an emergency situation. This can make a critical difference in the time taken for a victim to receive first responder care to sustain life. We are aware of at least one person alive today who remains so as a result of resuscitation by University Staff who were trained and able to use an AED device. Please contact safety office on safety@hku.hk if you would like further details on this training.
Shortly HKU Medicine will be providing training in these areas. We will release further details and who to contact when this training becomes available.