The role of the Occupational Health and Safety Officer

In a crisis situation, it is essential to be able to evacuate people on site safely. The workplace first aid officer is trained to act in the event of a workplace accident, as well as in preventing occupational risks within their company. They are therefore called upon during an emergency evacuation whenever an accident occurs. Let's explore the role of the Workplace First Aid Officer, their training, and the required skills. This task is crucial, as those involved in an evacuation must be competent and properly trained. The goal is to prevent a disaster from occurring or worsening, and to intervene with the first emergency actions. In this article, we will answer the following questions:

• What is a Workplace First Aid Officer?

• What is the role of the Workplace First Aid Officer?

• What skills are needed to become a Workplace First Aid Officer?

• What training organizations are available for workplace first aid officers?

• When should a workplace first aid officer's training be renewed?

• What is the validity period of a workplace first aid officer's training?

• What is the regulation governing the Workplace First Aid Officer?

• How many workplace first aid officers are required?

What is a workplace first aid officer?

The workplace first aid officer (also known by the French acronym SST) plays a leading and essential role in the day-to-day life of a company. Their scope of action is not limited to emergency evacuation alone, unlike the route guide and rear guard. Their role is twofold:

• Provide first aid to a victim in the event of illness or a workplace accident, particularly during an emergency evacuation

• Play an essential role in preventing company risks

This safety officer is therefore indispensable to the proper handling of a crisis situation such as an emergency evacuation.

What is the role of the Workplace First Aid Officer?

This role is taken on by brave, dedicated individuals. Indeed, they are volunteer employees who are trained in the various rules and best practices for preventing occupational risks, as well as in rapid response during an accident. In practice, they are responsible for effectively providing the first aid measures to a person awaiting care, in order to minimize injuries and subsequent disabilities. After observing and assessing the first aid provided, they can then inform specialized emergency services. In some companies, this role is fully complementary to that of the First Responder and Second Responder. In addition to this role, they may also be called upon to study risks within the company and report various observations to the members of the crisis unit.

What skills are needed to become a Workplace First Aid Officer?

The first skill required of a workplace first aid officer is to stay calm during the critical period that can be found at the scene of an accident. They must avoid spreading panic so as not to worsen the situation, and must make decisions in extraordinary situations. As such, they must have a strong sense of responsibility and be a good communicator (like a First Responder).

Which organizations offer Workplace First Aid Officer training?

Today, in France and across its regions, numerous organizations provide workplace first aid officer training. Our company CountAct can train your evacuation officers in Grenoble, Lyon, and Paris. We can also train all of your company's or public-facing establishment's safety officers. Feel free to request a quote :) Other organizations can also train your route guides and rear guards in regions where CountAct is not present; we have partnerships in Bourgogne-Franche-Comté and the PACA region… Feel free to send us an email at: countact@countact.fr, and we can recommend training organizations or help guide your search for a training provider or training center for your route guides, rear guards, workplace first aid officers, first responders, industrial firefighters…

When should a Workplace First Aid Officer's training be renewed? And what is the validity period of the training?

The renewal of workplace first aid officer training is structured and regulated in France today. Indeed, the regulations set out in the French Labor Code, as well as INRS recommendations, are clear regarding the steps to follow when training workplace first aid officers. These safety officers are required to complete initial in-person training lasting a minimum of 14 hours, as well as refresher training every 2 years lasting a minimum of 7 hours, allowing them to reactivate the prevention and first aid skills acquired during their initial training. To validate this training, a certificate is issued if the training organization determines that the individual has the necessary skills to become a workplace first aid officer. At CountAct, we also recommend genuinely managing your safety staff (something CountAct addresses). It is important to understand company risks in order to anticipate them. The main goal is to guarantee the safety of all personnel.

What is the regulation governing the Workplace First Aid Officer? And how many are required?

Today, every company is required to have employees covered by first aid training, which includes workplace first aid officers. As such, the employer has an obligation to have the necessary emergency response staff available to guarantee the safety of all employees during a crisis situation. Regarding the question of how many workplace first aid officers are needed? We recommend having as many workplace first aid officers as possible to ensure the most effective response possible in the event of an accident. This recommendation is all the more relevant given current challenges around flow management (remote work, open-space offices…). CountAct offers to optimize the management of your safety officers and lets you know important accident-related information in real time, improving efficiency and speed. Don't hesitate to contact us, we will support you in developing your internal safety strategy.

This officer and the others

You now know what a workplace first aid officer is, as well as the various duties involved during an emergency evacuation. We therefore invite you to read our article on safety officers to expand your knowledge of the important roles involved in a crisis situation.