Workplace first aid requirements

If you run or manage a workplace in Barbados — an office, shop, construction site or factory — the law requires you to have enough trained first-aiders on your staff, ready to help a colleague in an emergency.

An employer duty — to rescue a colleague

Workplace first aid is not a job qualification: it is the employer's duty to appoint and train enough first-aiders, scaled to headcount and risk level, so someone can act immediately if a colleague is injured. The exact number and rules depend on the regulations that apply in Barbados.

What the law requires in Barbados

Barbados governs occupational health and safety through national legislation that requires employers to provide first aid in the workplace.

The Act does not prescribe a training delivery mode; workplace first-aid training combining online theory with a practical skills assessment is accepted.

Region specifics

• Trigger threshold of 25 persons for certified first-aiders — higher than the UK model.
• Rest room required from 20 persons; lunchroom from 10 persons; wholesome drinking water mandatory.

Why it matters

A workplace emergency can happen at any time. When it does, the difference between a positive outcome and a tragedy often comes down to whether someone nearby is trained to respond. Having certified first aiders on staff isn't just a legal requirement — it's an investment in your team's safety.