It is College policy that:

  • On all Imperial College campuses and sites, there are enough trained personnel, equipment, and information available to ensure that someone competent in basic first aid techniques can rapidly attend an incident during normal working hours or outside normal hours when a building is regularly occupied.
  • A FAW qualified first aider is always available during normal hours on each College campus or site to attend an incident beyond the competence of an EFAW-trained person.
  • Appropriate first aid arrangements based on risk assessment are made for staff and students engaged in fieldwork activities.
  • Local First Aid Needs Assessments include provision for Mental Health First Aid.

Responsibilities under the policy

The First Aid policy is subject to the established College Health and Safety Management reporting structure.

Policy Statement

1. Heads of Departments, Divisions and Centre’s are responsible for:
  • Ensuring first aid needs within their areas of operation are assessed and addressed
  • Appointing a Coordinator to organise provision of first aid services across the department
  • Ensuring appropriate first aid cover is available for field work activities
2. Departmental First Aid Coordinators are responsible for:
  • Undertaking & reviewing the department’s assessment of first aid needs
  • Monitoring numbers of first aiders so enough suitably trained first aiders are available
  • Assisting with the recruitment of departmental first aiders and the scheduling of training
  • Inducting new first aiders
  • Communicating with departmental first aiders
  • Organising, stocking and replenishment of first aid supplies
  • Maintaining up to date notices on the local first aid arrangements
  • Liaising with Faculty Safety teams, Departmental Safety Managers, Building Managers and the College's central Health and Safety advisors on first aid issues
  • Liaising with Faculty Safety teams, Departmental Safety Officers to arrange supplementary training where this need is identified by local or fieldwork first aid risk assessment
  • Undertaking and registering weekly and monthly checks on all locally provided Automatic External Defibrillators (AED)
3. First-aiders are responsible for:
  • Responding promptly to calls for assistance within their area
  • Providing support within their competence
  • Summoning further help, if necessary
  • Reporting details of treatment provided
  • Keeping up to date on first aid related issues in their department
  • Alerting First Aid Coordinator on use of consumable items
4. Mental Health First Aiders (MHFAiders®) are responsible for:
  • Responding promptly to calls for assistance within their area
  • Providing support within their competence
  • Summoning further help, if necessary
  • Registering details of conversations in line with confidentiality guidelines
  • Maintaining MHFA competence as specified by MHFA England
5. The Director of Occupational Health is responsible for:
  • Advising on appropriate levels of provision of first aid
  • Providing guidance on the implementation of the College policy
  • Advising on the provision and content of first aid training
  • Assisting in the monitoring of first aid arrangements on medical campuses
  • Advising on the location and use of Automatic External Defibrillators
  • Arrangements to maintain registration on the London Ambulance defibrillator accreditation scheme (or equivalent quality assurance scheme)
  • Communicating changes to arrangements with the First Aid Coordinators
6. People and Organisational Development (POD) is responsible for:
  • Organising training for departmental first aiders
  • Liaison and quality assurance review of training providers
  • Maintenance of FAW and EFAW Training Records of courses organised by POD,
  • Organising recall of first aiders for refresher training
  • Maintaining lists of departmental coordinators.
  • Liaison with coordinators.
  • Provision of training equipment.
7. The Equality Diversity and Inclusion Centre (EDIC) is responsible for:
  • Organising training for MHFAiders®
  • Maintenance of MHFA training records of courses organised by EDIC
  • Organising recall of MHFAiders®for refresher training
  • Managing the delivery of MHFAider® network support
  • Managing training and CPD of Imperial College MHFA instructors
8. The Security Manager is responsible for:
  • Providing First Aider provision on external Campus Property
  • Providing back-up support to first aiders in departments on the South Kensington Campus
  • Undertaking and registering weekly and monthly checks on  centrally provided Automatic External Defibrillator (AED) on all campuses
  • Arranging first aid and AED training for Security Emergency Response Teams
  • Providing first aid cover to the South Kensington, Charing Cross, Hammersmith, St. Mary's, Silwood Park, White City and Royal Brompton campuses

9. The Accommodation Services Manager is responsible for:
  • Ensuring first aid cover is available in halls of residence during normal working hours
  • Providing first aid equipment for use in halls of residence
  • Managing AED in student residences
10. Wardens of Halls of Residence are responsible for:
  • Providing first aid cover when halls are occupied by students in the evening, overnight and at weekends
  • Ensuring wardening staff are trained in emergency first aid
  • Ensuring students are informed of first aid arrangements
11. The Conference and Events Manager is responsible for:
  • Making arrangements to ensure first aid cover is available for conference events and conference and vacation residents in Imperial College halls of residence.
12. The Move Imperial Operations Manage is responsible for:
  • Ensuring first aid cover is available at sports facilities whilst in use.
  • Management of AED on Move Imperial premises
13. Early Years Education Centre is responsible for:
  • Provision of suitable first aid equipment
  • Training arrangements for EYEC staff working with babies and young children
14. The Director of Estate is responsible for:
  • The provision of Automatic External Defibrillators in public spaces
15. Building Managers are responsible for:
  • Compiling information about first aid arrangements and personnel from individual Department FAC's and ensuring the information for the building is kept up to date.
  • Ensuring first aid arrangements are discussed at Building User Groups.
16. The Imperial College Union, Facilities, Health and Safety Manager is responsible for:
  • Managing First Aid arrangements for offsite activities as part of the risk assessment process.

     


Revision history

Date issued: 2005
First reviewed: October 2013
Last reviewed: April 2023, Claire O'Brien - Director of Occupational Health