Here’s some startling news for safety officers: Less than 60 percent of UK workers know where the first-aid kit is kept.

These findings come from the British Red Cross, leading providers of first-aid products and first-aid training for the workplace, according to a HR Zone report (www.hrzone.co.uk).

By contrast, as many as 86 percent of people know where their first-aid kit is at home, despite the fact that of those who have knowledge of first-aid, 77 percent gained that experience at work and there is a growing interest in the skills.

In addition, 73 percent of people would attend a first-aid course at work if their employers offered them free.

In further cause for concern, 33 percent of people do not know who their first-aid representative at work is, while just over half would know what to do with someone with heavy bleeding. Just 42 percent would know how to deal with someone in shock after an accident, and half would know how to deal with a sprain caused by a trip or fall.

The research also shows that office workers have limited knowledge of how to treat minor injuries, with over 55 percent stating that they have never received any form of first-aid training whatsoever.

The research concludes that people evidently want to have the skills to enable them to help in an incident and employers should react to this.