WORK PLACE (FIRST AID) REGULATIONS *

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 424.13

WORK PLACE (FIRST AID) REGULATIONS *

22nd January, 2002

LEGAL NOTICE 11 of 2002, as amended by Legal Notice 348 of 2011

and Act XXXIII of 2024.

The title of these regulations is the Work Place (First Aid)

Regulations.

(1)

In these regulations, unless the context otherwise

requires -

"Act" means the Health and Safety at Work Act

"appointed person" means a person provided by the employer,

who in the absence of a first-aider, otherwise takes charge of a

situation in which a person or persons require first aid;

"Authority" means the Occupational Health and Safety Authority

established by virtue of article 8 of the Act;

"first aid" means

(a) treatment for the purpose of preserving life and

minimising the consequences of injury and illness

until such help is obtained from a medical practitioner

or nurse, and

(b) treatment of minor injuries which would otherwise

receive no treatment or which do not need treatment by

a medical practitioner;

"first aider" means a person who has received training and holds

a valid certification attesting qualification issued by a first aid

trainer;

"first aid trainer" means a person in possession of a recognised

qualification given by an awarding body which is accredited by the

Malta Qualifications Recognition Information Centre.

(1) These regulations shall be considered as the minimum

requirements in the provision of first aid.

(2) The provisions of these regulations shall apply to all

employers and to all places of work.

(3) Where these regulations require the setting up of health and,

or safety signs, it shall be the duty of an employer to ensure that all

signs used at a workplace shall be in conformity with the provisions

of regulations as are made for such purpose.

*These regulations have been transferred to Cap. 646. Vide S.L. 646.06 and Act

XXXIII of 2024.

(1) An employer shall ensure that each of his workers and

any other person present at the workplace shall have rapid access to

first aid whenever needed.

(2) An employer shall provide, or ensure that there are

provided, such equipment and facilities as are adequate and

appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be

rendered to whosoever becomes injured or ill inside the workplace.

Such facilities shall include a readily accessible and adequately

maintained first aid box. Where more than fifty persons are

employed, there shall be an additional box in respect of every fifty

persons beyond the first fifty.

(3) First aid boxes shall be made of suitable material and

designed to protect the contents, as far as possible, from damp and

dust. First aid boxes shall be clearly identified as such by means of

a white cross on a green background.

(4) The contents of first aid boxes shall include the following

items

(a) a minimum of ten individually wrapped sterile

adhesive dressings in various sizes

(b) sterile eye pads with attachment;

(c) a minimum of three triangular bandages;

(d) a minimum of six safety pins;

(e) a minimum of three sterile unmedicated dressings in

various sizes;

(f)

a suitable supply of sterile eye wash;

(g) a minimum of three pairs of surgical gloves;

(h) a minimum of three roller bandages of different sizes;

(i)

one personal protection shield for use during artificial

respiration;

(j)

three individually wrapped gauze pads.

(1) An employer shall ensure the presence at all times of

such a number of first aiders as is adequate and appropriate in the

circumstances for rendering first aid to his employees if they are

injured or become ill at work.

(2) Where a first aider is absent in temporary and exceptional

circumstances, it shall be sufficient compliance if the employer

appoints a person, or ensures that a person is appointed, to take

charge of the situation relating to an injured or ill employee who

will need help from a medical practitioner or nurse, and of the

equipment and facilities relating to the giving of first aid.

(3)

There shall, in any case, be -

(a) in a work place with relatively low hazards, including

offices, shops, and banks, one first aider for every one

hundred employees;

(b) in a work place with a greater degree of hazard,

including factories, ship repair and ship building

yards, and docks, one first aider for every fifty

employees

Provided that where there are fewer employees than those

stipulated herein, an employer shall provide an appointed person.

(4) An employer shall ensure the availability of a sufficient

number of first aiders or appointed persons in the case of shift

workers, with the number of first aiders and appointed persons

being determined by the number of employees at work on each shift

and in the same ratio as for workers who do not work on shift.

(1) Where two hundred or more employees are at work in a

place of work, or where the type of activity or the frequency of

accidents so dictate, an employer shall provide and adequately

maintain a suitably equipped first-aid room which shall be readily

accessible to stretchers

Provided that the contents of a first aid room shall be

commensurate with the degree of risk that is present in the place of

work.

(2) In places of work which present special or unusual hazards,

i n c l u d i n g t h e s h i p - b u i l d i n g a n d r e p a i r i n d u s t r y, c h e m i c a l

industries, quarries and foundries, there shall be an adequately

equipped first-aid room together with a suitable number of first

aiders irrespective of the number of employees in that place of

work.

(3) A first-aid room shall be readily available at all times when

employees are at work and shall not be used for any purpose other

than the rendering of first aid.

(4) A first aid room shall be positioned as near as possible to a

point of access to facilitate the transfer of injured or sick persons to

hospital.

(5) A first aid room shall contain suitable facilities and

equipment commensurate with the level of risk present at a place of

work, and shall be adequately ventilated, heated, lit, cleaned and

maintained.

(6) A first-aid room shall contain a couch, and such room shall

be large enough to hold the couch, with space for people to work

around it.

(7) A first aid room shall be clearly identified as such by

suitable signs.

Where employees are sent to work outside of their

employer’s place of work, their employer shall ensure, or ensure

that there is made, adequate and appropriate first-aid provision for

them

Provided that if their work involves special hazards, as in

the case of use of potentially dangerous tools and machinery, the

employer shall provide a suitably equipped first-aid box.

A self-employed person shall provide, or ensure that there

is provided, such equipment, if any, as is adequate and appropriate

in the circumstances to enable him to render first aid to himself

while he is at work, or for others to give him first aid.

(1) An employer shall inform his employees of the

arrangements that have been made in connection with the provision

of first aid, including the location of equipment, facilities and

personnel and any other information as may be necessary for the

employees to avail themselves of the facility.

(2) The nearest location of first-aid boxes and rooms shall be

sign-posted as is reasonably practicable. An employer shall also put

up signs indicating the name of every first-aider or appointed

person and how these can be contacted whenever first-aid is

required.

(1) First aid boxes and rooms shall contain only

appliances and facilities relating to the provision of first aid.

(2) The contents of first aid boxes and rooms shall be

replenished by an employer as soon as possible after use, or before

their state has deteriorated to such a degree which renders them

unsafe to use or otherwise unusable.

(3) Where tap water is not available, an employer shall ensure

an adequate supply of sterile water or sterile normal saline in

disposable containers.

The Authority may, if the circumstances in any place of

work so warrant, direct that additional items be included in first aid

boxes or rooms in any workplace.

A worker shall in no circumstances suffer any deduction in

wages or any loss of benefit and shall not be liable for any expense

in respect of any measure taken by the employer pursuant to these

regulations.

In any proceedings for an offence under these regulations

consisting of a failure to comply with a duty or requirement to do

something, or to do something so far as is reasonably practicable, it

shall be for the accused to prove (as the case may be) that it was not

practicable or not reasonably practicable to do more than was in

fact done to satisfy the duty or requirement, or that there was no

better practicable means than was in fact used to satisfy the duty or

requirement.

(1) Any breach of any provision of these regulations shall

be deemed an offence.

(2) Any person who knowingly or recklessly interferes with the

process of providing first aid at a place of work, shall be guilty of

an offence.