An accident or a sudden illness can happen in any workplace. In the first minutes, what the people present do matters a great deal. This lesson explains what Portuguese law asks of companies, and what this course is and is not.
What this course is and is not
This course is theory only. It gives basic knowledge of first aid, emergencies and evacuation at work. It does not qualify anyone as a first aider, as a defibrillator (AED) operator, as a member of an emergency response team or as a member of a fire brigade. Those roles need practical training, given by an instructor and with equipment, and the employer decides who receives it.
The basic law
Lei n.º 102/2009, of 10 September (Law 102/2009), is the legal regime for promoting occupational safety and health (SST). Several articles deal with emergencies.
- Article 15(9). The employer must set the first aid, firefighting and evacuation measures, identify the workers responsible for applying them and ensure contact with the competent external bodies, including medical emergency services.
- Article 19. Workers and their representatives have the right to up-to-date information about those measures and about who puts them into practice.
- Article 20(3). The employer must train enough of the workers responsible for those measures, taking into account the size of the company and the risks present, and give them suitable equipment.
- Article 75. Whatever form the SST service takes, the company must have an internal structure for first aid, firefighting and evacuation.
Failing to meet the training obligation in Article 20 is a serious administrative offence (paragraph 6). Enforcement is the job of the Autoridade para as Condições do Trabalho (ACT) (Authority for Working Conditions).
Who does what
- The employer organises the emergency response: it sets the measures, designates and trains the people, provides the equipment and ensures external contacts.
- Designated workers apply the measures they were trained for. They do what they learned and go no further.
- All other workers have the right to know what to do and who to turn to. They must follow instructions and take the measures provided for in the event of serious and imminent danger (Article 17).
- Anyone who leaves their post or a dangerous area in serious and imminent danger cannot be penalised for it (Article 17(2)).
Materials and equipment
A workplace usually has:
- a first aid kit with contents suited to the risks;
- a visible list of emergency contacts, with 112, the company's number and the SST service's number;
- an emergency plan that says who does what;
- in some places, an AED and fire extinguishers.
The kit should be in a known, easily reached place, and its contents should be checked regularly. Over-the-counter medicines or products that people have brought from home do not replace the intended supplies.
What the employer still has to do
The course does not replace anything the company must do: the risk assessment of the workplace, the emergency plan, the practical training of the people designated, the maintenance of equipment and the drills. If you are unsure what is expected of you, ask your supervisor or the SST service.
In summary
- The law requires the company to organise emergency response, rather than leave it to chance.
- Designated workers have training and equipment for their role.
- Everyone has the right to be informed and the duty to cooperate.
- This course gives basic knowledge and does not qualify you for any rescue role.