First Aid

General arrangements for the provision of first aid

Statement

The University of Stirling acknowledges that the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require that the University provides adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities for the provision of first aid to employees if they are injured or become ill at work. The extent of the duty for the provision of first aid within the University includes not only employees working within the University but also those in isolated locations (e.g. field trips) and students and individuals working on training schemes. It is also University policy to use existing facilities, where possible, to provide first aid to visiting members of the public.

The University of Stirling has implemented the following arrangements:

Procedure to summon first aid

Contact your Faculty / Service Directorate First Aider. All faculties / service directorates must display information on their first aid personnel.

If the Faculty / service directorate first aider is not available or not known, dial 7999 from an internal telephone. This number is manned 24 hours per day. Be prepared to give your name and location. The nearest first aid person will be contacted to come to your assistance.

The appointment of nominated first aiders in a Faculty / service directorate does not preclude other first aiders from other Faculties / service directorates rendering assistance.

Transport to Accident and Emergency at Forth Valley Royal Infirmary. If an accident results in an injury that requires attention at the hospital A&E department, but is not severe enough to require an ambulance, contact Cottrell Security desk to summon a taxi. It is advised that the first aid person assisting with the incident accompanies the injured person to hospital in the event that the person’s condition deteriorates during the journey.

The occupational health service (Innovate Healthcare) is not contracted to provide first aid assistance.

First aid training

The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide suitable first aid equipment, training, facilities and personnel to enable first aid to be given to employees if they are injured or become ill at work.

Under new arrangements, the employer now has an option to train prospective first aiders on either:

Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) training requires 6 hours of tuition. First Aid at Work (FAW) training requires 18 hours of tuition.

The Emergency First Aid at work course will enable candidates to:

Have an understanding of the role of a first aider including reference to the importance of preventing cross-infection, the need for recording incidents and actions, and use of available equipment.
Make an assessment of the situation and circumstances in order to act safely, promptly and effectively in an emergency.
Administer first aid to a casualty who is unconscious (including seizure).
Administer cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
Administer first aid to a casualty who is choking.
Administer first aid to a casualty who is wounded and bleeding.
Administer first aid to a casualty who is suffering from shock.
Provide first aid for minor injuries including small cuts and grazes, splinters, bruises and minor burns and scalds.

The First Aid at work course will enable candidates to provide emergency first aid as above and also:

Administer first aid to a casualty with injuries to bones, muscles and joints including suspected spinal injuries, chest injuries, burns and scalds, eye injuries, sudden poisoning and anaphylactic shock.
Recognise the presence of major illness and provide appropriate first aid (includes heart attack, stroke, epilepsy, asthma and diabetes).

Heads of Faculties and service directorates should carry out a first aid needs assessment to ensure the type of training course chosen is appropriate for the circumstances of their Faculty / service directorate. The University Security section will continue to provide contingency FAW cover and all security personnel will continue to be FAW certificated.

Existing first aid certificate holders will be required to undertake the Requalification Training every 3 years when their certificates have expired should they choose to continue as a first aider.

First aid training is delivered by the St Andrews First Aid but organised by the Safety, Environment & Continuity office. If you would like to find out more about First aid training (available dates etc) please contact Tanya Cairns: tanya.cairns@stir.ac.uk or call her on extension 7102.

First aid equipment

Each Faculty / service directorate is required to provide one or more first aid kits (decided upon through the risk assessment process) which should be located in convenient and prominent places throughout the Faculty / service directorate (preferably near to suitable hand washing facilities).

First aid boxes should be maintained and regularly checked by the nominated first aider/s in the Faculty / service directorate or by a nominated person (if there is no certified first aider). The first aid kits should contain a sufficient quantity of suitable first aid materials (see below) and nothing else. Sterile materials should not be re-used once the seal has been broken and should not be used after the expiry date.

Supplies can be purchased through Arco.

Contents of the first aid kits

Leaflet giving general advice on first aid (HSE leaflet ‘Basic advice on first aid at work’).
20 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (assorted sizes), appropriate to the type of work (dressings may be of a detectable type for food handlers).
2 sterile eye pads.
4 individually wrapped triangular bandages (sterile).
6 safety pins.
6 medium-sized individually wrapped sterile un-medicated wound dressings – approximately 12 cm by 12 cm.
2 large sterile individually wrapped un-medicated wound dressings – approximately 18 cm by 18 cm.
1 pair of disposable gloves.