Health and safety updates for outdoor education
It’s part of the risk-benefit assessment and planning processThe newly updated OEAP NG document4. 4b First aidbegins :‘TheHealth & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981state:“An employer shall provide or. . .
It’s part of the risk-benefit assessment and planning processThe newly updated OEAP NG document4. 4b First aidbegins :‘TheHealth & Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981state:“An employer shall provide or ensure that there are provided, such equipment and facilities as are adequate and appropriate in the circumstances for enabling first aid to be rendered to their employees if they are injured or become ill at work”. ’ This also applies to, it continues, the children and young people in the care of an establishment. The provision of first aid during off-site visits and activities should therefore be considered as part of the risk-benefit assessment and planning process. This document provides guidance about first aid provision on educational visits. It includes information about legal requirements and government guidance, advice about how to assess the need for first aid provision using the STAGER framework, and information about first aid qualifications, with examples of different types of educational visit. It has sections about emergency medication (including anaphylaxis and asthma), sepsis and recording and reporting. “It is also a legal requirement that all public service vehicles, including minibuses, must carry a first aid kit. ”This updated document will prove to be particularly useful for employers, EVCs, governors, heads and managers, LA officers and outdoor education advisers. TheOutdoor Education Advisers’ Panel(OEAP) producesNational Guidance, which provides comprehensive support for the management of high-quality outdoor learning, educational visits and adventurous activities. The free to download and use guidance document draws attention to the fact that theDepartment for Education provides guidance on first aid in early years settings, schools and colleges. This includes recommendations for the minimum contents of a travelling first aid kit and for a vehicle first aid box. About STAGEREstablishments should have in place an assessment which determines their first aid provision on site, says the download. Off-site provision is simply an extension of this. The determination of the appropriate requirements should consider the STAGER variables – see OEAP National Guidance document1b Foundationsfor more information regarding this. Staff – the competence in first aid of the visit leadership teamTiming – for example, an outdoor activity at night or in winter may entail more risk of injury than at other times, or a visit out of the establishment’s normal hours may need to be more self-sufficientActivities – the nature of the planned activities, and possible injuries associated with them (for example, blisters on a long walk)Group – the nature of the group (for example, does any participant have an allergy, asthma or other medical condition that may need to be treated?)Environment – first aid provision, and how a first aid kit needs to be packed, may depend on the expected environmental conditions during the visit (for example, is there a risk of sunburn, hypothermia, altitude sickness, bites or stings, or exposure to an infectious disease such as coronavirus?)Remoteness – the extent to which the group will be isolated from other first aid provision and the support of the emergency services (both in terms of distance and response time). During an epidemic such as coronavirus, you should consider including in first aid kits hand gel, antiseptic wipes, tissues, bags for waste, gloves and face masks and possibly disposable aprons and eye protection. First aidersQualified first-aiders may not be necessary for all off-site activities and visits. However, a basic level of first aid support should be available at all times. This will require that one or more of the staff leading the activityHas a working knowledge of simple first aid and is competent to use the first aid materials carried with the groupKnows how to access, and is able to access, qualified first aid support. Early Years Foundation StageFor children in the Early Years Foundation Stage, there is a statutory requirement that at least one person who has a current paediatric first aid certificate and sufficient understanding and use of English to summon help in an emergency must accompany children on outings. Where remote supervision is used (for example during a Duke of Edinburgh’s Award expedition), the supervisor should ensure that the group hasThe ability to contact qualified first aid supportAn appropriate level of competence and first aid materials to look after themselves until help arrives. Sports governing bodiesMost National Governing Bodies of sport and recreation activities require their qualified leaders to hold a current relevant first aid certificate. The minimum standards listed in the guidance vary from activity to activity. There is a wide range of first aid training courses and qualifications. These include:-Emergency First Aid in the Workplace (typically one day)Paediatric First Aid (typically two days)First Aid at Work (three days)Courses designed for outdoor activities and remote environments (typically two days, often includingEmergency First Aid in the Workplace);More specialised courses, such as expedition medicine. Examples included in the guidanceExample 1: a walk to the local library on a footpath adjacent to a public road with ambulance access. Example 2: a walk along a rural footpath, with no vehicular access for about 2 miles, to a picnic site. Example 3: an outing to the local park by a nursery school group. Additional informationAlso included in the OEAP NG document is information regarding:-Emergency Medication (e. g. , Anaphylaxis and Asthma)SepsisRecording and ReportingAdditional resources. This download is part of OEAP NGSection 4 Good practicewhich contains a range of documents that provide guidance for employers, establishments and visit leaders about how to manage and deliver high quality outdoor learning, off-site visits and Learning Outside the Classroom. These downloads also contain direct links a variety of other supportingOEAP National Guidance documents. Download OEAP NG document4. 4b First aid »