Ensure the health and safety of all staff, students and visitors
Ensure that staff and governors are aware of their responsibilities with regards to health and safety
Provide a framework for responding to an incident and recording and reporting the outcomes

Legislation and guidance

This policy is based on advice from the Department for Education on first aid in schools and health and safety in schools, and guidance from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) on incident reporting in schools, and the following legislation:

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, which state that employers must provide adequate and appropriate equipment and facilities to enable first aid to be administered to employees, and qualified first aid personnel
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1992, which require employers to make an assessment of the risks to the health and safety of their employees
The Management of Health and Safety at Work Regulations 1999, which require employers to carry out risk assessments, make arrangements to implement necessary measures, and arrange for appropriate information and training
The Education (Independent School Standards) Regulations 2014, which require that suitable space is provided to cater for the medical and therapy needs of students

This policy complies with our funding agreement and articles of association.

Roles and responsibilities

Appointed person(s) and first aiders

The school’s appointed person[s] are responsible for:

Taking charge when someone is injured or becomes ill
Ensuring there is an adequate supply of medical materials in first aid kits, and replenishing the contents of these kits
Ensuring that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate

First aiders are trained and qualified to carry out the role and are responsible for:

Acting as first responders to any incidents; they will assess the situation where there is an injured or ill person, and provide immediate and appropriate treatment
Sending students home to recover, where necessary
Filling in an accident report on the same day, or as soon as is reasonably practicable, after an incident (see the template in appendix 2)
Keeping their contact details up to date
Our school’s [appointed person(s) and/or first aiders] are listed in appendix 1. Their names will also be displayed prominently around the school.

The Trust Board

The Trust Board has ultimate responsibility for health and safety matters in the school, but delegates operational matters and day-to-day tasks to the Principal and staff members.

The Principal

The Principal is responsible for the implementation of this policy, including:

Ensuring that an appropriate number of trained first aid personnel are present in the school at all times
Ensuring that first aiders have an appropriate qualification, keep training up to date and remain competent to perform their role
Ensuring all staff are aware of first aid procedures
Ensuring appropriate risk assessments are completed and appropriate measures are put in place
Undertaking, or ensuring that managers undertake, risk assessments, as appropriate, and that appropriate measures are put in place
Ensuring that adequate space is available for catering to the medical needs of students
Reporting specified incidents to the HSE when necessary

Staff

School staff are responsible for:

Ensuring they follow first aid procedures
Ensuring they know who the first aiders in school are
Completing accident reports (see appendix 2) for all incidents they attend to where a first aider is not called
Informing the Principal or their manager of any specific health conditions or first aid needs

First aid procedures

In-school procedures

In the event of an accident resulting in injury:

The closest member of staff present will assess the seriousness of the injury and seek the assistance of a qualified first aider, if appropriate, who will provide the required first aid treatment
The first aider, if called, will assess the injury and decide if further assistance is needed from a colleague or the emergency services. They will remain on the scene until help arrives
The first aider will also decide whether the injured person should be moved or placed in a recovery position
If the first aider judges that a student is too unwell to remain in school, parents will be contacted and asked to collect their child. Upon their arrival, the first aider will recommend next steps to the parents
If emergency services are called, the first aider will contact parents immediately
The first aider will complete an accident report form on the same day or as soon as is reasonably practical after an incident resulting in an injury

Off-site procedures

When taking students off the school premises, staff will ensure they always have the following:

A portable first aid kit including, at minimum:

A leaflet giving general advice on first aid
6 individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings
1 large sterile unmedicated dressing
2 triangular bandages – individually wrapped and preferably sterile
2 safety pins
Individually wrapped moist cleansing wipes
2 pairs of disposable gloves

Information about the specific medical needs of students
Parents’ contact details

When transporting students using a minibus or other large vehicle, the school will make sure the vehicle is equipped with a clearly marked first aid box containing, at minimum:

10 antiseptic wipes, foil packed
1 conforming disposable bandage (not less than 7.5cm wide)
2 triangular bandages
1 packet of 24 assorted adhesive dressings
3 large sterile unmedicated ambulance dressings (not less than 15cm × 20 cm)
2 sterile eye pads, with attachments
12 assorted safety pins
1 pair of rustproof blunt-ended scissors

Risk assessments will be completed by the trip lead prior to any educational visit that necessitates taking students off school premises.

The school will normally have a trained first aider on the visit or in some circumstances first aid cover may be provided by staff at the venue for the visit.

First aid equipment

A typical first aid kit in our school will include the following:

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

No medication is kept in first aid kits.

First aid kits are stored in:

The following are suggestions only. Adapt this section to reflect your school’s first aid arrangements.

The Medical Room
Science Main Prep Room x2
Site Team Workroom
Food Technology
Technology
Reception
PE Department x2
Art

Record-keeping and reporting

First aid and accident record book

An accident form will be completed by the first aider on the same day or as soon as possible after an incident resulting in an injury
As much detail as possible should be supplied when reporting an accident, including all of the information included in the accident form at appendix 2
A copy of the accident report form will also be added to the student’s CPOMS record
Records held in the first aid and accident book will be retained by the school for a minimum of 3 years, in accordance with regulation 25 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1979, and then securely disposed of.

Reporting to the HSE

The Office Manager will keep a record of any accident which results in a reportable injury, disease, or dangerous occurrence as defined in the RIDDOR 2013 legislation (regulations 4, 5, 6 and 7).

The Office Manager will report these to the HSE as soon as is reasonably practicable and in any event within 10 days of the incident – except where indicated below. Fatal and major injuries and dangerous occurrences will be reported without delay (i.e. by telephone) and followed up in writing within 10 days.

School staff: reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences

These include:

Death
Specified injuries, which are:

Fractures, other than to fingers, thumbs and toes
Amputations
Any injury likely to lead to permanent loss of sight or reduction in sight
Any crush injury to the head or torso causing damage to the brain or internal organs
Serious burns (including scalding) which:

Covers more than 10% of the whole body’s total surface area; or
Causes significant damage to the eyes, respiratory system or other vital organs

Any scalping requiring hospital treatment
Any loss of consciousness caused by head injury or asphyxia
Any other injury arising from working in an enclosed space which leads to hypothermia or heat-induced illness, or requires resuscitation or admittance to hospital for more than 24 hours

Work-related injuries that lead to an employee being away from work or unable to perform their normal work duties for more than 7 consecutive days (not including the day of the incident). In this case, the Office Manager will report these to the HSE as soon as reasonably practicable and in any event within 15 days of the accident
Occupational diseases where a doctor has made a written diagnosis that the disease is linked to occupational exposure. These include:

Carpal tunnel syndrome
Severe cramp of the hand or forearm
Occupational dermatitis, e.g. from exposure to strong acids or alkalis, including domestic bleach
Hand-arm vibration syndrome
Occupational asthma, e.g from wood dust
Tendonitis or tenosynovitis of the hand or forearm
Any occupational cancer
Any disease attributed to an occupational exposure to a biological agent

Near-miss events that do not result in an injury, but could have done. Examples of near-miss events relevant to schools include, but are not limited to:

The collapse or failure of load-bearing parts of lifts and lifting equipment
The accidental release of a biological agent likely to cause severe human illness
The accidental release or escape of any substance that may cause a serious injury or damage to health
An electrical short circuit or overload causing a fire or explosion

Students and other people who are not at work (e.g. visitors): reportable injuries, diseases or dangerous occurrences

These include:

Death of a person that arose from, or was in connection with, a work activity*
An injury that arose from, or was in connection with, a work activity* and the person is taken directly from the scene of the accident to hospital for treatment

*An accident “arises out of” or is “connected with a work activity” if it was caused by:

A failure in the way a work activity was organised (e.g. inadequate supervision of a field trip)
The way equipment or substances were used (e.g. lifts, machinery, experiments etc); and/or
The condition of the premises (e.g. poorly maintained or slippery floors)

Information on how to make a RIDDOR report is available here:

How to make a RIDDOR report, HSE

Training

All school staff are able to undertake first aid training if they would like to.

All first aiders must have completed a training course, and must hold a valid certificate of competence to show this. The school will keep a register of all trained first aiders, what training they have received and when this is valid until (see appendix 3).

The school will arrange for first aiders to retrain before their first aid certificates expire. In cases where a certificate expires, the school will arrange for staff to retake the full first aid course before being reinstated as a first aider.

Monitoring arrangements

This policy will be reviewed annually.

At every review, the policy will be approved by the Academy Governing Committee.

Links with other policies

This first aid policy is linked to the:

Trust-wide health and safety policy
Academy policy on supporting students with medical conditions

Appendix 1: Information collected on the First Aid Treatment Form

Student name:

Year:

Tutor Group:

Date:

Time:

Referred by:

The above student has received treatment by a qualified first aider for an injury specified below, in the location indicated on the diagram.

Bruise
Graze
Bump
Sprain
Cut
Burn
Other (please specify)

LeftRight

The injury was sustained:

Outside school / at home
During a lesson
During break/lunch

Treatment given

Antiseptic wipes
Cold compress
Washed
Bandage
Plaster
Sling
Ice pack
Other (please specify)

Referred to

Parent (note given)
Parent (phone call home)
Head of Year
Academy nurse
Hospital
Senior Leadership Team
GP

Notes

Note: if your child shows any cause for concern, please contact your GP or nearest hospital

Co-op Academy Manchester