The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 provides guidance for employers to address first-aid provision in the workplace. They must provide a first-aid kit, equipment, training, and appointed persons. The Department for Education has a useful guide for first aid in schools, early years, and further education. We have read and digested this document for you and will provide more important information in this blog.
First aid in schools must consider all adults and children in their public space, not just employees even though the guidance suggests employers are only responsible for their own employees. The pupils, staff, visitors, and contractors should be considered within the schools’ plan for first-aid administration.
Mostly, Health and Safety and first aid policies are down to the headteacher. They must ensure first aid is available on the school premise but also when staff and pupils are off-site on educational activities and visits. As a minimum the school must provide a suitable first aid container that is stocked following first aid needs assessment and hold at least the minimum requirements suggested by HSE. The school must have an appointed person or designated first aider(s) to oversee all first aid arrangements. The guidance states that schools and colleges should account for absence of first aiders and appointed personnel and make necessary additional appointments, should relevant staff be absent. Finally, there must be information for employees and students detailing the location of equipment, facilities, and personnel. This is easily done by displaying a poster in a prominent place in the school or college.
Schools and colleges must carry out a first aid needs assessment to inform first aid policies. Records of all incidents must be kept be the first aider / appointed person. This record can help inform future improvements within the school policy by reflecting on past incidents and the management of them. Risk assessments will help inform the relevant personnel of likely accidents and potential injuries and what first aid management these require. Reviews of policies should be made after any major changes to the building or staff members.
First Aiders and Appointed Personnel
A designated first aider must hold a valid first aid certificate after undergoing training. Schools should appoint a first aider considering these following factors as suggested by government guidance:
- reliability and communication skills,
- aptitude and ability to absorb new knowledge and learn new skills,
- ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures,
- availability to respond to an emergency immediately.
The first aider must be comfortable and highly confident in delivering assistance to casualties for common injuries, illnesses and identified risks around the school. If these injuries are more than a first aider can handle, they must ensure that an ambulance or professional help is acquired immediately.
If assessments conclude that a first aider is not required, the employer must still designate personnel to take charge of the first aid arrangements. These persons do not need to hold a first aid certificate, but government guidance suggests they may benefit from completing a First Aid at Work course. The Appointed persons role covers:
- take charge when someone is injured or becomes ill,
- look after the first aid equipment,
- ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate.
The employers must take responsibility for providing training for their staff. Additional training maybe required in cases where basic training does not cover the risks within the organisation. For example, standard First Aid at Work training does not cover paediatric first aid.
First Aid certificates usually last for 3 years. The employer must take responsibility for ensuring the relevant personnel are retrained before the certificate runs out. If the certificate expires, a full course must be taken again to hold a valid qualification. The guidance also highly recommended that first aiders have annual refresher training to make sure they are up-to-date and maintain good practise. HSE provide guidance on choosing a competent first aider training provider, however they do not recommend training providers.
Reporting and Recording accidents
All incidents within schools must be recorded. This will aid reviews, including areas to improve and re-risk assess. Guidance states the record should include:
- date, time, and place of incident,
- name of injured or ill person,
- details of the injury or illness,
- details of what first aid was given,
- what happened immediately after the incident (e.g., went home, went back to class, went to hospital),
- name and signature of first aider or person dealing with the incident.
It is stated that this record is different from the statutory accident book however schools and colleges can combine these records. Employers must have the HSE accident book to report all injuries including all under RIDDOR. HSE must be notified of fatal and major injuries immediately. Guidance on what to report to HSE can be found here.
What do I keep in a first aid box?
There is not a mandatory list of items a first aid box must hold. The guidance is that it must be based of the school or colleges first aid assessments. They are to be kept preferably near a hand washing station and be checked for expiry dates and restocking.
The standard / minimum recommendation from HSE is:
- a leaflet giving general advice on first aid
- 20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes)
- 2 sterile eye pads
- 2 individually wrapped triangular bandages (preferably sterile)
- 6 safety pins
- 6 medium sized individually wrapped sterile unmedicated wound dressings
- 2 large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
- 3 pairs of disposable gloves
Teaching First Aid to Students
Since September 2020, all state-funded schools in England have been required to teach Health Education. Primary schools must teach basic first aid for dealing with everyday injuries. Secondary schools must teach students how to administer CPR and how and why defibrillators are used.
If your school, college, or Trust needs any help regarding health and Safety, please get in contact with our friendly Fusion HR team.
Find further information on first aid in schools and the guidance from HSE here.
The government guidance is linked here.
