First Aid Policy and Procedure

First Aid Policy and Procedure

Aim

To provide adequate first aid to staff and students in case of injury or illness. Language in Action takes Health and Safety seriously in order to create a low-risk environment and anticipated emergencies are of a minor level. We seek to supply sufficient help in case of injury or illness until the emergency services arrive.

Procedures

First Aiders

• The Health & Safety Lead is to plan and implement first aid training. For this purpose, a training log is to be kept and regularly monitored. It is the H&S Lead’s responsibility to assess training requirements as appropriate for the number of staff and students in each centre.
• First aiders are selected based on personal qualities and their working arrangements. First aiders must be reliable, able to stay calm in an emergency, fit enough to rapidly attend an incident. The person must be willing to provide first aid to anyone at any time whilst at work and to attend training courses to obtain and retain their qualification. Their working hours and location should make them easily available throughout the working day.
• Training is to be given by an approved agency such as St John Ambulance or similar.
• All first aiders can safely look after the casualty whilst the emergency services are called over, and are to be retrained after three years.
• Each centre has at least two first aid trained members of residential staff, available on rotation throughout the programme, so that a first aid trained member of staff is available at all times at both the accommodation and the teaching site.
• All staff and students in each Language in Action centre are to be informed of the first aid-trained staff. A picture of the first aiders, along with details of availability, is displayed on the centre noticeboard.

Equipment

• First aid boxes should be available in every building (including the Welfare Office and the residential accommodation) and the location should be clearly marked and easily accessible. A basic first aid kit is taken by staff on all tours and excursions to external venues.
• The contents should be regularly checked by the H&S Lead. If supplies are used up at an unusual frequency, the first aider should alert the H&S Lead to this. Boxes are restocked according to need.
• First aid boxes should contain the following: guidance leaflet, sterile plasters, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, wound dressings, cleansing wipes, disposable gloves. Under no circumstances should drugs of any kind be included in the first aid box or distributed by the first aider.

Records

• Accident log books are to be kept in each first aid kit. A note must be made by the first aider each time assistance is provided for both injury and illness.
• Where the casualty is a student under the age of 18, the parent, guardian or responsible adult is notified within 24 hours of any medical incident, in line with the Group Safeguarding and Prevent Policy and LiA addendum (Section 7.5).
• Serious incidents are additionally logged in the Centre Incident Record and escalated in line with the Escalation Procedure.