A simple first aid guide to having the right first-aid supplies in a school
- Simon Francis
- Aug 25, 2023
- 3 min read
'Do we have the right first aid supplies?', is a question I often get from school settings when I am delivering first aid. This simple first-aid guide to having the right first-aid supplies in a school aims to assist you.
You need to ensure you have the right first aid supplies for:
Your school premises
Any staff vehicles used
Your staff members
Any visitors to the site
What equipment should you consider?
Equipment that should be considered include:
Equipment for your first aid room (If you have one)
A defibrillator
Fire safety supplies, fire blankets, and appropriate fire extinguishers
Additional first-aid kits
Personal protective equipment
Posters and guidance
Emergency signage
Health and safety supplies
How many first aid kits should a school have?
Your own individual risk assessment and assessment of your first aid needs will give you a more accurate quantity as there are several specific factors to consider:
How many sites and split levels does the school occupy? You will need to ensure that there is a first aid kit within quick and easy reach of all areas.
Are there remote areas, for example, distant fields, woodland or playgrounds?
Are there any higher-risk areas- for example kitchen areas? These areas may need extra kits or larger kits with additional contents.
Are there any off-site activities? You will need to consider the contents of your travel first aid kit
Does your setting have any vehicles? You should equip all vehicles with a suitable first aid kit.
What should your school first aid room contain?
The Education (School Premises) Regulations 1996 require every school to provide a suitable room that can be used for medical and dental treatment when required. Your first aid room doesn’t need to be used solely for first aid purposes but must be readily available when needed.
Ideally, it should be situated near a toilet.
Typical equipment and facilities a school first aid room should contain include:
A sink with hot and cold running water
A chair
Drinking water with disposable cups
Soap, paper towels, disinfecting hand sanitiser and surface wipes,
A store for first aid materials, such as a first aid cabinet,
A foot-operated refuse container, lined with yellow, disposable clinical waste bags or a container suitable for the safe disposal of clinical waste
An examination/medical couch with waterproof protection and wipe-clean pillows and blankets, (a paper couch roll may be used that is changed between patients)
A telephone or other communication equipment
A record book for recording incidents attended by a first aider or appointed person
We would also recommend that the room was secured so that no unauthorised access will take place, as it would be harder to ensure that adequate equipment and supplies were in place
Does your school need to have a defibrillator?
Cardiac arrest may happen to anyone, including children, and giving help in the first few minutes is vital. Having a defibrillator on site that can be easily and quickly accessed may drastically improve the chance of survival.
Defibrillators are easy to use. They have both voice and visual prompts to guide you through what to do. You do not need to be trained to use a defibrillator, but we would highly recommend that all school employees take a defibrillator training course to ensure they can use the device both quickly and confidently in an emergency situation.
Defibrillators can be used safely on children over the age of 8. For children aged between the ages of 1 and 8, separate paediatric defibrillator pads or a separate paediatric defibrillator will be required, unless your defibrillator has a special paediatric casualty function.
Dynamo Training Solutions provides training throughout London, Kent, and the Southeast.
A simple first aid guide to having the right first-aid supplies in a school is one of a series of Simple First Aid Guides produced by Dynamo Training Solutions.
Comments