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- Freephone: 0800 4 101 101
- Text us on: 07507 285 887
- Freepost: Freepost CIRAS
- Call me back
May 2011 in Network Rail and Suppliers
Training and briefing
Not Specified
A reporter is seeking clarification about the requirement for Personal Track Safety (PTS) card holders to have training in emergency first aid.
The reporter has noticed that many staff with PTS are not trained in emergency first aid and that PTS Trainers are being expected to carry out basic first aid training even though they are not registered first aid Trainers themselves. There is concern that first aid could be administered incorrectly at an incident or accident and further injury caused as a result.
Could RSSB clarify:
There is no Railway Group Standard that covers the requirements of first aid. Each employer has a duty to comply with the requirements of the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations (1981).
Regulation 3 (1) of this document states that:
'An employer shall provide, or ensure that they are provided, such
equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the
circumstances for enabling first-aid to be rendered to his
employees if they are injured or become ill at work'.
Regulation 3 (2) states:
'Subject to paragraphs (3) and (4), an employer shall provide, or
ensure that there is provided, such number of suitable persons as
is adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for rendering
first-aid to his employees if they are injured or become ill at
work; and for this purpose a person shall not be suitable unless he
has undergone - such training and has such qualification as the
Health and Safety Executive may approve for the time being in
respect of that case or class of case, and such additional
training, if any, as may be appropriate in the circumstances of
that case'.
Based on the requirements mentioned above the employer should ensure that every work activity meets these requirements. The competent first aider can hold any competency, such as Personal Track Safety (PTS), Controller of Site Safety (COSS), Engineering Supervisor (ES), Person in Charge of Possession (PICOP), etc...
