What is L74?
L74 is the HSE's Approved Code of Practice and guidance for the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981. These regulations require employers to provide adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment, facilities, and personnel to ensure that employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work.
The regulations recognise that prompt first aid can save lives, reduce the severity of injuries, and support recovery. They place a duty on every employer to make suitable first-aid provision based on an assessment of their workplace circumstances.
L74 provides practical guidance on how to assess first-aid needs, what equipment and facilities to provide, how many first-aiders to train, and what qualifications they should hold. The document helps employers understand their legal duties and implement proportionate, effective first-aid arrangements.
Who Needs This Document?
L74 is essential for anyone responsible for workplace health and safety:
- Employers in all sectors with duties to provide first-aid arrangements
- Health and safety managers developing first-aid policies and procedures
- HR professionals managing first-aider training and coverage
- Facilities managers responsible for first-aid equipment and rooms
- Property managers ensuring premises have appropriate first-aid provision
- Small business owners determining what first-aid arrangements they need
- Managers and supervisors who may need to act as appointed persons
- First-aiders understanding their role and responsibilities
- Training providers delivering first-aid at work qualifications
- Occupational health professionals advising on first-aid requirements
Key Topics Covered
Assessing First-Aid Needs
The foundation of proper first-aid provision is a thorough assessment of workplace needs. L74 explains how to conduct this assessment, considering factors including:
- The nature of the work and workplace hazards
- The size and layout of the workplace
- The number of employees and how they are distributed
- The history of accidents and ill health at the workplace
- Employees with disabilities or specific health conditions
- Inexperienced workers who may be at higher risk
- The proximity to emergency medical services
- Whether employees work alone, remotely, or at multiple sites
- Whether members of the public or others visit the workplace
The assessment should be reviewed periodically and whenever circumstances change significantly.
First-Aid Personnel
Based on the needs assessment, employers must provide appropriate first-aid personnel. L74 describes two categories:
First-Aiders
First-aiders are employees who have completed an HSE-approved first-aid training course and hold a valid certificate. They are competent to:
- Administer first aid to casualties
- Take charge of first-aid situations
- Manage and maintain first-aid equipment
- Call for additional medical assistance when needed
The two main qualifications are:
- First Aid at Work (FAW) - a three-day course covering a wide range of first-aid emergencies
- Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) - a one-day course covering essential life-saving procedures
Appointed Persons
Where a full first-aider is not required, employers may designate an appointed person. This person is responsible for:
- Taking charge in an emergency and calling for help
- Looking after first-aid equipment
- Ensuring that first-aid arrangements are maintained
Appointed persons do not need formal first-aid qualifications but should be capable of managing emergencies sensibly.
Numbers of First-Aiders
L74 provides guidance on how many first-aiders are needed based on workplace risk level and employee numbers:
Lower-risk workplaces (offices, shops, libraries):
- Under 25 employees: at least one appointed person
- 25-50 employees: at least one EFAW-trained first-aider
- More than 50 employees: at least one FAW-trained first-aider for every 100 employees
Higher-risk workplaces (construction, manufacturing, chemical processing):
- Under 5 employees: at least one appointed person
- 5-50 employees: at least one FAW-trained first-aider
- More than 50 employees: at least one FAW-trained first-aider for every 50 employees
These figures are minimum recommendations. The actual number should be determined by the needs assessment.
First-Aid Equipment
Every workplace must have a suitably stocked first-aid container. L74 explains:
Minimum Contents for a First-Aid Kit
There is no mandatory list, but a typical first-aid container for a low-risk workplace would include:
- A leaflet giving general guidance on first aid
- Individually wrapped sterile plasters in assorted sizes
- Sterile eye pads
- Triangular bandages, individually wrapped
- Safety pins
- Medium and large sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- Disposable gloves
Additional items may be needed based on specific workplace hazards, such as eye wash stations for chemical risks or burn dressings for hot work environments.
Location and Accessibility
First-aid containers must be:
- Easily accessible to all employees
- Located close to hand-washing facilities
- Clearly identified with a white cross on a green background
- Regularly checked and restocked
First-Aid Rooms
Larger workplaces or those with significant hazards may need a dedicated first-aid room. L74 provides guidance on when this is appropriate and what facilities should be available:
- A sink with running hot and cold water
- Drinking water and disposable cups
- Soap and paper towels
- A smooth-topped work surface
- A couch with waterproof protection and clean pillows and blankets
- A chair
- A clinical waste container
- A first-aid container
- A telephone or other communication system
- An accident record book
Information for Employees
Employers must inform all employees of their first-aid arrangements:
- Who the first-aiders and appointed persons are
- Where first-aid equipment is located
- How to summon first-aid assistance
- What to do in specific types of emergency
This information should be given during induction and displayed prominently in the workplace.
Training and Requalification
First-aid certificates are valid for three years. L74 explains:
- The content requirements for FAW and EFAW courses
- HSE approval requirements for training providers
- Annual refresher training recommendations
- Requalification procedures before certificates expire
- Record keeping for training and qualifications
Self-Employed Persons
Self-employed persons are not required to make first-aid provision for themselves but should consider doing so. If they employ others, they must make full provision for their employees.
Legal Status
As an Approved Code of Practice, L74 has special legal status under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. Following the guidance provides evidence of compliance with the First-Aid Regulations. Courts may accept failure to follow the ACOP as evidence of a breach of the regulations unless an equally effective alternative approach can be demonstrated.
The regulations are enforced by the HSE and local authorities. Inadequate first-aid provision can result in enforcement action and, particularly where it contributes to worse outcomes following an injury, may feature in prosecutions for more serious offences.
Why It Matters
Effective first-aid provision can make the difference between life and death, between minor injury and permanent disability. Proper compliance ensures:
- Rapid response to workplace injuries and medical emergencies
- Reduced severity of injuries through prompt, competent treatment
- Legal compliance meeting employer duties under health and safety law
- Improved outcomes for injured employees and faster return to work
- Employee confidence knowing that help is available if needed
- Demonstration of care supporting positive workplace culture
- Insurance protection as policies may require adequate first-aid arrangements
For SMEs, the first-aid regulations are among the most straightforward to understand and implement. The costs of training first-aiders and providing equipment are modest compared to the potential consequences of inadequate provision. L74 provides clear, practical guidance that enables even the smallest business to get first-aid right.
Most importantly, properly trained first-aiders save lives. In the critical minutes before emergency services arrive, having someone who knows what to do can prevent a bad situation from becoming a tragedy.