Guidance for schools

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, employers are responsible for providing adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. HSE has published detailed first aid guidance to help employers comply with the regulations and offers practical advice on what they need to do.

While the regulations do not require employers to provide first aid for anyone other than their own employees, it is strongly recommended that all schools and colleges consider the needs of non-employees such as pupils, students and visitors when making provision for first aid.

In practice, most day-to-day functions in respect of health and safety and first aid are delegated to the headteacher or the principal. Employers should provide any relevant information to help them in drawing up the arrangements for their school or college.

First aid provision must be available while people are on school or college premises. It must also be available when staff, pupils and students are working elsewhere on school or college activities including any off-site activity such as educational visits. The regulations require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel based on a first aid needs assessment. This does not apply to work placements as work experience students are employed by the placement provider.

The minimum first aid provision for schools and colleges is:

a suitable first aid container stocked in accordance with the findings of the first aid needs assessment and holding at least the minimum requirements suggested by HSE
an appointed person or designated first aider(s) to take charge of first aid arrangements
information for employees detailing the location of equipment, facilities and personnel

Where an employer’s assessment of first aid needs identifies that a designated first aider is not required, the minimum requirement is for an employer to appoint a person to take charge of the first aid arrangements, including looking after the equipment and facilities, and calling the emergency services when required. Arrangements should be made for the appointed person to be available to undertake these duties at all times when people are at work. HSE First aid at work guidance is available.

Any member of school or college staff may be asked to undertake first aid tasks, but they cannot be required to do so. Teachers and other staff working with pupils and students are expected to use their best endeavours at all times, particularly in emergencies, to secure the welfare of the pupils and students in education in the same way that parents might be expected to act towards their children. In general, the consequences of taking no action are likely to be more serious than those of trying to assist in an emergency.

All state-funded schools in England have, since September 2020, been required to teach Health Education. The statutory guidance, to which schools must have regard, sets out that this should include basic first aid for primary school children, for example dealing with common injuries. Pupils in secondary schools should be taught further first aid, for example how to administer CPR and the purpose of defibrillators.

First aid needs assessments

In addition to the legal requirement to have a health and safety policy, employers should ensure that schools and colleges have a first aid policy and carry out a first aid needs assessment to help inform that policy.

It is strongly recommended that a record is kept of all incidents dealt with by a first aider or appointed person to help inform the development of the policy and any subsequent first aid needs assessments. Information from health and safety risk assessments can also inform these first aid needs assessments. Identifying the likely causes of accidents or injuries will help headteachers to work out the type, quantity, and location of first aid equipment needed, and the facilities and personnel required. The needs of pupils, students and visitors should be considered alongside the needs of employees when making such assessments and when putting in place appropriate first aid provision.

Provision should be enough to ensure that first aid can be administered without delay should the occasion arise, and be available at all times. This means that arrangements should take account of absences of a first aider or appointed person and reflect alternative work practices. Further details of what factors to consider when making needs assessments and appointing emergency cover for first aiders can be found in HSE’s first aid guidance.

Employers should review their first aid needs after any major changes such as changes to staff or premises, to make sure provision remains appropriate.

Headteachers and principals should ensure that staff, pupils, students and parents and carers are aware of their first aid arrangements.

First aiders

To qualify as a first aider an individual should undergo appropriate training delivered by a competent training provider and hold a valid first aid certificate.

We would expect, in the vast majority of cases, that the first aid needs assessment would identify that at least one first aider is required to provide first aid to meet the needs of employees, pupils, students and visitors. There is no rule on the number of first aiders required as this will be identified as part of the first aid needs assessment and will be based on the circumstances of each individual school or college.

In selecting a first aider, the following factors should be considered:

reliability and communication skills
aptitude and ability to absorb new knowledge and learn new skills
ability to cope with stressful and physically demanding emergency procedures
availability to respond to an emergency immediately

First aiders will be expected to:

give immediate help to casualties with common injuries or illnesses and those arising from specific hazards at the school or college or on educational visits
when appropriate, ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is called

Appointed persons

Where an employer’s assessment of first aid needs identifies that a designated first aider is not required, an employer must appoint a person to take charge of the first aid arrangements. Arrangements should always be made for the appointed person to be available to undertake these duties when people are at work.

Appointed persons do not need to have a first aid qualification although they may benefit from training such as completing at least an emergency first aid at work course. Their role is to:

take charge when someone is injured or becomes ill
look after the first aid equipment
ensure that an ambulance or other professional medical help is summoned when appropriate

First aid training

It is the responsibility of employers to ensure that their first aid staff have received the appropriate first aid training delivered by a competent first aid training provider.

Where first aid provision is intended to cover non-employees, which we strongly recommend, first aiders may need additional training above the minimum requirement, for example additional training in paediatric first aid (standard first aid at work training courses do not include resuscitation procedures for children). The school or college should discuss any specific needs with the training provider in advance as they will often tailor courses specifically to the needs of the school or college.

First aid certificates are usually valid for 3 years. Employers should arrange retraining before certificates expire. Once a certificate expires, the individual would have to undertake another full course to be reinstated as a first aider. It is strongly recommended that first aiders undertake annual refresher training to maintain their basic skills and keep up to date with any changes in procedures.

HSE provides guidance for employers to assist in the selection of a competent first aid training provider, including information on first aid course content. HSE does not recommend training providers. Selection of a provider is the responsibility of the school, college or employer.

General guidance for all

The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed.

What is 'adequate and appropriate' will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first-aiders are needed, what should be included in a first-aid box and if a first-aid room is required. Employers should carry out an assessment of first-aid needs to determine what to provide.

The Regulations do not place a legal duty on employers to make first-aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in an assessment of first-aid needs and that provision is made for them.

Further guidance can be found making adequate and appropriate provision for first aid in First aid at work: The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 - Guidance on Regulation.

Assessment of first-aid needs

Employers are required to carry out an assessment of first-aid needs. This involves consideration of workplace hazards and risks, the size of the organisation and other relevant factors, to determine what first-aid equipment, facilities and personnel should be provided.