First Aiders

First Aiders use the facilities and materials available at the time to save life and to prevent any deterioration in the condition of that person while awaiting the arrival of qualified medical assistance (usually an ambulance).

An outline of what is expected from a First Aid at Work trained staff member, as well as those trained in Emergency First Aid, is available below, as well as some guidance current first aiders might find useful.

Role description

Automatic External Defibrillators (AED) Policy

Automatic external defibrillators are portable battery powered pieces of equipment which are designed to restore the normal electrical heart rhythm in an emergency situation when a person has suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

The decision on whether to provide defibrillators in University areas should be taken on the basis of a risk assessment. Further guidance on this risk assessment, purchasing policy, siting, training and maintenance for AEDs is available at AED policy with an interactive map of the locations of AEDs available online.

Resources

List of required contents in a first aid box can be found in the First Aid Guidance document.

First aid boxes can be purchased from various outlets, from local pharmacies to online stationery catalogues, using P&M.

Training

The University of Edinburgh had been approved by the Health and Safety Executive to deliver training in First Aid at Work since 1991 and now self-accredits to the same standard as previously when under the HSE accrediation scheme.

This training is provided free of charge to University staff in order to ensure there is adequate first aid cover across the University.

First Aid training

Registering as a University First Aider

If you have a current First Aid at Work certificate from another training institution and wish to become a registered University First Aider, and therefore also receive the First Aid allowance, you should contact your local Health and Safety Co-ordinator/Adviser (HSC/A) to discuss updating the School/Department First Aid Needs Assessment. If you are to be added, provide a copy of your current certificate  to your HSC/A who should then email firstaid.training@ed.ac.uk, with your name, staff number, Department name and address, and send in a copy of your current certificate for authentication.