Kenya to review First Aid Rules
The rules form part of the subsidiary legislation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 and are applicable to all workplaces under the Act.
Kenya's Directorate of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) is in the process of revising the First Aid Rules first published in 1977. In a notice to stakeholders in occupational safety and health, DOSH noted that a Technical advisory committee has prepared a draft of the revised First Aid rules. Stakeholders are invited to submit comments on the draft before 4th December 2020. A validation workshop for the same will be held in February 2021.
The Current First Aid Rules, officially known as Factories (First Aid) Rules, 1977 [LN. No. 160] were first published in June 1977. The rules now form part of the subsidiary legislation under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, 2007 and are applicable to all workplaces under the Act.
Some of the requirements in the current First Aid rules include;
- Description of the contents of a first-aid box with respect to size of a workplace
- Provide that the first-aid box should only be under charge of a trained first-aider from a government recognized first-aid training institution.
- Require that the first-aider should regularly go for refresher course.
The government is also in the process of amending the Occupational Safety and Health Act 2007 as well as certain provisions of the Workplace Injuries Benefit Act (WIBA) 2007. According to statements attributed to the cabinet secretary for labour, Simon Chelugui, the Occupational Safety and Health Bill 2019 bill was to be being reviewed by Treasury and if no objection, be forwarded to the cabinet for approval.
What's Your Reaction?






