Generic First Aid Risk Assessment

Transcription

1 Generic First Aid Risk Assessment This risk assessment is provided to assist Educational Visits Coordinators (EVC) with their work. Its purpose is as a starting point for EVCs to adapt to meet their own circumstances. Some of the contents may not be suitable at all and should be carefully removed before distribution. However to take something out requires a considered argument based upon the expectations of the current regulations rather than any resource constraint. The completed assessment should support the site assessment in that there are not widely varying standards at the main site from those available offsite. Clearly the constraints presented by the environment need to be considered as does the recent development in the use of mobile phones in summoning outside assistance. The exercise sets out the minimum requirements and therefore leaves any user free to set high standards for themselves. However the cautionary note about setting standards of care in a risk assessment and not always meeting them applies. Some of you may have special circumstances that require additions to the support level suggested and establishing a higher standard as a benchmark may well be justified. All this deliberation is entirely in the nature of creating an effective working and useful document. As a test of its value, ensure that it is able to give an answer to the many questions first aid generates. Think of a few of your recent events or those proposed for the coming year and see if your risk assessment tells you clearly what provision you will need. Once you are happy then just one continued value of this assessment is that it will then tell you what you need across the whole programme; thus shaping your training need and its cost. Much of the contents arises from the First Aid at Work Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, from sports governing bodies and from first aid trainers themselves. First aid means: (a) in cases where a person will need help from a medical practitioner or nurse, treatment for the purpose of preserving life and minimising the consequences of injury and illness until such help is obtained, and (b) treatment of minor injuries which would otherwise receive no treatment or which do not need treatment by a medical practitioner or nurse. You are advised to consult the HSE First Aid Regulations before embarking on adapting this work. A fuller version on the specifics of applying regulations to schools can be found at titled Guidance on First Aid for Schools.

2 Offsite activities in broadly similar types: educational activities outside but close to school grounds sporting events local (within the city) sporting events outside of the city, county, southwest area field work days; self provided local non residential cultural and provided adventure activities residential cultural adventure fieldwork and other educational activities in the United Kingdom and in countries where circumstances are similar to the United Kingdom (UK) visits to countries where conditions vary from UK standards street based youth work activities using another venue working in partnership to deliver an activity schools delivering their own adventure activities, personal development activities. Different categories of first aid response: Appointed person (internally trained) Internally trained One day or equivalent Two day Four day

3 Category Type of need Competence Notes Educational activities outside but close to school grounds Low risk Low likelihood Minor injuries on sharp objects or similar, possible head injuries from slips, trips, falls and contact with other children. Road traffic accidents when emergency services would attend. Bites and stings. All staff should be aware of how to protect themselves and how to deal with minor injuries and someone in each party off site should know how to preserve life until the emergency services arrive. The preservation of life means making safe a casualty area, ensuring that there is no greater threat to the injured person and how to maintain an airway. Minimum: Appointed Person internally trained. Sporting events local (within the city) Travel risks. Sport specific injuries. A staff member with a one day certificate to cover the sports activities as above for local travel. Minimum: Appointed Person internally trained. Sporting events outside of the city, county, southwest area. Road traffic accidents, venue, sports specific, illness. A person with a one day certificate should travel with this party and attend the sports event if there is no clear provided first aid. Larger events may well have support from the first aid community: St John s Ambulance. Field work days; self provided. Injuries from the environment, water, weather, activity specific. A person in the party for each 20 should hold a one day certificate. These certificates maybe held by anyone in the party who is able to carry the responsibility.

4 Local non residential cultural and provided adventure activities. Travel, venue, activities. Appointed Person internally trained, supported by facilities at the venue and by providers of activities. Level of cover provided by third parties is to be determined through the risk assessment. In any case where this is not up to an acceptable level a party member would need to hold one day certificate. Residential cultural adventure fieldwork and other educational activities in the UK and in countries where circumstances are similar to the UK. Visits to countries where conditions vary from UK standards. Full range of potential demand from onset of illness to travel related, activity specific or environmental. Full range of possibilities. One day certificate coverage for everyone. 1 to 30 or any smaller number. Each party member needs to have access to a person with a two day certificate and one person in the party hold the four day. Risk assessment needs to determine that each group that is operating independently has a person with a one day certificate this could be provider staff or party member / staff. Risk assessment needs to consider the various possible sources of where this cover can come from. Street based youth work. Full range of possibilities including assault. A staff member should hold a one day certificate. Supported by an annual top up / refresher. Refreshers could be delivered by four day certificate holders.

5 Activities using another venue. Minor on the site travel. Similar conditions to the main site from which the group have come. Assumes that the venue is local. Risk assessment site visits determines that similar provision to that the group normally have is in place at the other venue. A person with the visiting party Appointed Person internally trained. Schools delivering their own adventure activities, personal development activities. Full range including illness where the distance precludes a swift return to the base. Adventure Activity Providers hold the two day certificate or the level specific to their awarding body. For less adventurous activities and less hazardous environments then the one day certificate would apply 1 to 30 ratio. Working in partnership to deliver an activity. Determined by risk assessment. Coverage determined by risk assessment. Where another organisation s staff is providing cover then evidence is needed of the level of qualification together with harmonisation of emergency procedures.