SC36 - First aid
Management and provision of first aid
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Contents
Revisions
| 1 |
Initial launch |
September 2009 |
| 1.1 |
Remove references to oxygen cylinders |
February 2011 |
| 1.2 |
Amendment to Appendix 1 – First Aid bag contents |
August 2011 |
| 1.3 |
Amendment to Appendix 1 – Contents of First Aid room |
December 2011 |
| 1.4 |
Minor change to para 4.3.8 |
April 2012 |
| 1.5 |
Amendments to audit checklist |
May 2013 |
1. Purpose
The STFC has a duty to ensure staff receive immediate First Aid attention if they are injured or taken ill at work irrespective of whether the injury or illness is caused by the work they undertake.
First Aid can save lives, for example in the event of heart attack, and can prevent minor injuries becoming major ones.
STFC will undertake to ensure compliance with the relevant legislation with regard to provision of First Aid to all employees and to ensure best practice by extending the arrangements as far as is reasonably practicable to others who may also be affected by our activities while on STFC sites.
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations, 1981, sets out the responsibilities of the STFC to:
- Carry out an assessment of first aid needs appropriate to the circumstances of each workplace;
- Provide adequate numbers of qualified first aiders throughout the organisation;
- Maintain levels of competence of first aiders;
- Provide adequate equipment for First Aid treatment;
- Provide adequate First Aid rooms or other suitable areas for first aid treatment; and
- Record first aid treatment.
This code outlines the STFC policy with respect to first aid management and the provision of first aiders to deal with injuries and ill health occurring at work
2. Scope
This code applies to STFC sites and STFC staff, visitors, and facility users working at STFC sites and where STFC staff work at non STFC sites.
The code applies in instances where the STFC takes responsibility for organising events, conferences, open days on STFC sites or elsewhere involving the public, schools etc.
Tenants at STFC sites are responsible for appointing their own first aiders and following the requirements of this code. The STFC will not indemnify the first aid activities of tenants' employees.
This code addresses the need to ensure that contractors working at STFC sites provide suitable access for their staff to first aid unless a documented contractual agreement is established for the STFC to provide this facility.
3. Definitions
3.1 Occupational health teams
Occupational Health (OH) service provision is available to all STFC staff but may vary in the manner it is delivered, depending on location, from full time on site provision through to contracted off site services made available to staff through local HR teams.
Where on site OH teams are not present refer to local HR teams for responsibilities assigned to OH in this code.
3.2 First aid
Is the immediate assistance or treatment given to someone injured or suddenly taken ill before the arrival of an ambulance, doctor or other appropriately qualified person.
3.3 First aider
Is a trained person who holds a valid full certificate of competence in "first aid at work", issued by an organisation whose training and qualifications are approved by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE).
4. Responsibilities
4.1 Directors shall:
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4.1.1 Ensure sufficient first aiders are sourced from their departments, as advised by local Occupational Health teams, informing HR.
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4.1.2 Ensure that once selected first aiders are given sufficient time to undertake mandatory training in respect of maintaining their competence and the duties detailed in this code.
4.2 HR shall:
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4.2.1 Review the suitability of applicants for the post of first aider with Occupational Health teams, notifying Occupational Health teams of selected first aiders.
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4.2.2 Manage and administer the payment of the first aid allowance following their satisfactory completion of first aid training issuing a letter of appointment enclosing the 'STFC first aider responsibilities', see Appendix 4.
4.3 Occupational health teams shall:
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4.3.1 Provide advice with respect to the number of first aiders appropriate to areas, departments, sites etc based upon to the number of staff, hazards encountered, geographic distribution, holidays, the impact working practices such as shift systems, and the existence of restricted locations such as radiation classified areas.
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4.3.2 Administer an initial and refresher training programmes for all first aiders ensuring that first aiders have valid "First Aid at Work Certificates of Competence" at all times, see Appendix 5. Training shall be conducted by Health and Safety Executive (HSE) approved first aid at work training organisations (link opens in a new window), and records of the training maintained.
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4.3.3 Where automated external defibrillators are employed ensure that they are located at strategic points on sites and as appropriate assigned to a defined first aider for their maintenance to ensure they are maintained appropriately in full working order.
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4.3.4 Ensure that sufficient first aid boxes are located and suitably signed at strategic points on STFC sites and assigned to a defined first aider for their maintenance.
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4.3.5 Where appropriate establish specified first aid treatment room(s) for the delivery of first aid treatment. Ensuring their location is indicated by suitable signage and that they are regularly inspected to ensure they are suitably stocked, see Appendix 1.
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4.3.6 Where dedicated vehicles are established for the transport of injured parties ensure that the first aid equipment within them is maintained by a named first aider, see Appendix 1.
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4.3.7 Ensure an adequate supply of first aid consumables is available to first aiders to replenish first aid bags and boxes etc.
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4.3.8 Provide advice and information to first aiders, including lessons learned from relevant first aid incidents, ensuring that a programme of regular exercises of the medical emergency response systems involving first aiders is undertaken, and as appropriate provide counseling to those involved in traumatic first aid incidents.
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4.3.9 Undertake regular and routine reviews of the first aid management system reporting as required, including to site safety committees.
4.4 First aiders shall:
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4.4.1 Attend all first aid training courses and appropriate refresher training administered by their Occupational Health team, and ensure they understand their responsibilities detailed in this code.
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4.4.2 Ensure their first aid Bag is regularly checked and that contents are replenished as required following use. Appendix 1 details the recommended contents of such bags.
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4.4.3 Regularly check first aid boxes assigned to them in their work area ensuring they are replenished and do not contain out of date materials. Appendix 1 details the recommended contents of such boxes.
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4.4.4 Familiarise themselves with:
- The location of automated external defibrillators;
- The location of local first aid treatment rooms and first aid boxes;
- The hazards local to their areas and therein the likely injuries that will require treatment; and
- The emergency response systems operated on the site.
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4.4.5 Immediately attend and deliver first aid when notified, safe guarding their health and safety (see Reference 5.2) and as appropriate advise the attendance of local ambulance services or transport to hospital, see Appendix 3.
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4.4.6 Following the application of first aid, request the injured party reports the incident to SHE Group, see STFC SHE Code 5 Reporting and Investigation of SHE incidents, and complete a first aid treatment record pro forma, see Appendix 2 (PDF - 17kB - link opens in a new window), and return to local Occupational Health team.
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4.4.7 Where issued with mobile phones, pagers or other devices to aid their attendance to First Aid requests ensure that the device is switched on, working appropriately and charged during working hours.
4.5 Contract supervising officers shall:
4.6 Managers shall:
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4.6.1 Ensure that:
- the names (if possible photos), contacts details and locations of first aiders;
- the location of First Aid boxes/equipment local to their department; and
- the first aid arrangements,
- are communicated to their staff, visitors, and facility users on arrival.
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4.6.2 Ensure that staff working at non-STFC sites have access to suitable First Aid in the event of an incident, at least equivalent to that provided at STFC sites.
5. References
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