first aid a liability?

System

We would like to promote safety in our 13 restautants. As an optional incentive, we would pay for a manager's certification in firstaid/CPR. And we would hang a basic first aid poster in each of our locations.

I have heard this opens us up to more liability risk than not promoting first aid at all.

I believe we have a good samaritan law in Montana, does this protect us?

HR In NH

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON 11-15-06 AT 07:20AM (CST)[/font][br][br]OSHA standard (29 CFR 1910.151(b)requires that an employer have first aid trained personnel unless there is a clinic or hospital in very close proximity to your operation. The guideline used to be within 3-4 minutes, but OSHA does not provide a specific time frame now.

Aside from OSHA and other laws, having first aid trained personnel can lower your workers' comp costs, because some injuries can safety be treated at work, instead of automatically sending everyone to the clinic or hospital.

Yes, the good samartian law does protect the first aider as long as he or she was not negligent in their actions. It does not include the employer. The employer would generally have met their obligation by providing proper, timely training and retraining from a certified First Aid/CPR trainer.

In addition to the employer/employee considerations, I would think a restaurant could be sued for neglience if it did not have first aid trained personnel for their customers, as well. I'm thinking particularly of a choking victim.

So, not having a first aid team is a liability.

I would also recommended that you have more than just one person trained - at least 4-5 people makes better sense.

System

Thanks so much for the response- very helpful.