Appointed first aiders at work

[UnicornSparkles]

I've been trying to find information about this online but can't find the right stuff! I'm looking to send two people from our company on a First Aid at work course. One of the people I want to send is the Office Administrator who works part time - 30 hours a week spread over 5 days. I can see we need two first aiders to cover for each other when the other is off, but I can't work out if there's anything stopping me appointing a part time employee as a first aider? Any advice?

There is nothing to stop you appointing a part time employee as first aider. However, the training for the course are likely to be 6 or 7 hours for 3 days so the employee would have to be willing to attend the training course.

I am a part time designated first aider.
I did the first aid course unpaid (my choice).

What is it you think might be stopping you OP? Is it because the course might be outside the part timers hours?

I was just confused as to whether the designated first aider had to legally be a full time employee ie. always around in case of emergencies! The company is more than happy to pay for the person to go on the course, that's not a problem.

Seems like there is nothing about this because it's not a requirement though! Thanks for all your help!

What would happen if there was an accident outside of the part timers hours?

I don't think having part timers as first aiders is a problem (we have several) as long as the arrangement provides cover at all the times you are open. (We have 20 first aiders on the list 4 are part time; cover of a minimum of 2 is always available 730am to 930pm when staff are on site)

Presumably as the OP plans to send two members of staff, the other one would be present during those few hours in the week that the part timer is not in.

We have several trained first aiders but the advice we were given from the in-house trainer was that if none of them are on site just to call 999 / visit A&E.

Even full-timers are never in all the time - I'm a first-aider, but I sometimes work from home or at other sites, and I also have days off from time to time. Plus it's a 24/7 site, but I certainly don't work that!

If I were your employer, I'd consider getting someone else qualified next year, too, so you've got another person to cover leave and so on, and your qualifications don't all expire at the same time.