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Contents

• 1. Pu​rpose
• 2. Scope
• 3. Definitions
• 4. Responsibilities
  
  • 4.1 Directors
  • 4.2 SHE
  • 4.3 Occupational health teams
  • 4.4 First aiders
  • 4.5 Contract supervising officers
  • 4.6 Managers
• 5. References
  
  
• Appendices
  
  • Appendix 1 - Contents of first aid bags, boxes, treatment rooms and vehicles used to transport injured persons
  • Appendix 2​ - First aid treatment record pro-forma
  • Appendix 3 - Guidance on accompanying persons to hospital
  • Appendix 4 - STFC first aider letter of appointment
  • Appendix 5​ - Training
  • Appendix 6 - Audit checklist
  • Appendix 7 - Document Retention Policy
    
  • Appendix 8 - Treatment of cryogenic burns, frostbite and asphyxia​
    
  • Appendix 9​ - Treatment of hydrofluoric acid (HF) exposure and burns
    
  • Appendix 10 - Treatment for electrocution and electric shock​​
    

Revisions​

1. Purpose

STFC has a duty to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure staff receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work, irrespective of whether the injury or illness was caused by the work they were undertaking​.

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, tenants, and facility users working at STFC sites and where STFC staff work at non STFC sites. STFC indemnifies the activities of authorised first aiders on all sites.​

Where a tenant company has in the order of 10 or more employees they must ensure that suitable and sufficient numbers of qualified first aiders are trained and available to support their operations on site, unless there are alternative equivalent local arrangements in place within the host building.​

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.​​

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 SHE or HR​ teams.

Where on site OH teams are not present refer to local SHE ​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 competencies meet the requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations, 1981.

4. Responsibilities

4.1 Directors shall:

• 4.1.1 Ensure sufficient first aiders are nominated ​from their Departments, as advised by SHE Group, supported by local Occupational Health teams​.
  
  
• 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 SHE Group shall​:

• 4.2.1 Review the nominations​ for the post of First Aider and provide an authorisation letter when selected.
•  
• 4.2.2 Undertake a first aid needs assessment for each site which includes: the number of First Aiders required and location of First Aiders appropriate to areas, Departments, Sites etc. based upon to the number of staff, range and type of SHE hazards, geographic distribution of staff, holidays, the impact working practices such as shift systems, and the existence of restricted locations such as radiation classified areas. The First Aide Needs Assessment should be recorded in Evotix Assure and reviewed 2 yearly as per SHE Code 6, Risk Management.
•  
• 4.2.3 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 counselling to those involved in traumatic first aid incidents.
•  
  
• 4.2.4 Undertake regular and routine reviews of the first aid management system reporting as required, including to site safety committees​.
  
  

4.3 Under the direction of SHE Group, Occupational health teams shall:

• 4.3.1 Manage and administer the training and appointment of nominated First Aiders including but not limited to:​
  
• • Establishing the initial and on-going refresher training for nominated aiders such that first aiders have valid “First Aid at Work Certificates of Competence” at all times, maintaining records of their training see Appendix 7;
  • On successful completion of new first aider training ensure that they are provided with a letter of appointment, see Appendix 4 for template letter of appointment;
  • First aider appointment and their letters of appointment should be recorded in the SHE Directory; and
  • On receipt of signed letters of appointment by new first aiders inform HR to manage the payment of a First Aid allowance.
  
  
• 4.3.2 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.
  
  
• 4.3.3 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 reminding First Aiders to review their contents againstAppendix 1​ annually.
  
  
• 4.3.4 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.
  
  
• 4.3.5 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.
  
  
• 4.3.6 Ensure an adequate supply of first aid consumables is available to first aiders to replenish first aid bags and boxes etc.
   
  

4.4 First aiders shall:

• 4.4.1 Attend all first aid training courses and appropriate refresher training administered by their Occupational Health, and ensure they understand their responsibilities detailed in this code.
  
  
• 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.
  
  
• 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 or medicines such as aspirin​. Appendix 1 details the recommended contents of such boxes.
  
  
• 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;
    
  • The emergency response systems operated on the site (see process map​);
    
  • The first aid pages on the SHE website​; and
    
  • Appendix 8 - The treatment of cryogenic cold burns and frostbite​.​​
    
    
• 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. Two first aiders should respond to all first aid incidents in case one person is needed to make calls/direct an ambulance etc. This allows one first aider to always be focused on the casualty.​
  
•  
  
• 4.4.6 Following the application of first aid, request the injured party reports the incident to SHE Group on Evotix Assure, see STFC SHE Code 5 Reporting and Investigation of SHE incidents, and complete a first aid treatment record pro forma, see Appendix 2, and return to local Occupational Health team.
  
  
• 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:

• 4.5.1 Where contractors work on their behalf, ensure they have access to first aid treatment, see STFC SHE Code 15 Management of Contractors - Appendix 4. Where a contractor works at an STFC site from a vehicle, it should contain a First Aid box.

4.6 Managers shall:

• 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, and as appropriate contractors,​ on arrival.​
  
  
• 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.​
  
•  
  
• 4.6.3 Ensure that staff working with hydrofluoric acid have been suitably trained and specifically are made aware of Appendix 9​​.
  

5. References

• 5.1 - Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations, 1981, and its Approved Code of Practice and Guidance L74.
  
  
• 5.2 - Blood borne viruses in the workplace - HSE publication INDG342.
  
  
• 5.3 - The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR),1995.​