Schools should have suitable arrangements for recording accidents and incidents involving pupils and staff.

But recording an accident involving pupils doesn't automatically mean that it needs to be reported to the HSE.

This is where RIDDOR comes in.

When does a school need to report an accident under RIDDOR?

The Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR) set out specific circumstances in which certain incidents must be reported.

For pupil injuries, the circumstances of the accident are important.

For example, consideration needs to be given to whether the incident arose out of or in connection with a work activity or the condition of the premises, as well as the nature and consequences of the injury.

A pupil being taken to hospital doesn't automatically mean that the incident is reportable under RIDDOR.

Schools should consider each incident against the relevant reporting criteria and keep appropriate records.

When in doubt, check the current HSE guidance rather than relying on assumptions.

Who is responsible for first aid in a school?

Ultimately, the legal duty sits with the employer.

Depending on the type of school, this may be:

• A local authority.
• The governing body.
• An academy trust.

Day-to-day responsibility is normally delegated within the school.

This could be the headteacher, school business manager, health and safety lead or another nominated person.

Your first-aid policy should clearly identify who is responsible for managing first aid.

That person doesn't necessarily need to do every task themselves, but there should be no confusion about who is overseeing the arrangements.

What should a school's first-aid policy cover?

A good first-aid policy should explain how your school manages first aid in practice.

It should consider things such as:

• Who is responsible for first-aid arrangements.
• The findings of your first-aid needs assessment.
• The number and location of trained first aiders.
• First-aid qualifications and expiry dates.
• The location of first-aid equipment.
• Arrangements for checking and restocking kits.
• Provision during breaks and lunchtimes.
• Before- and after-school activities.
• School trips and off-site activities.
• Staff absence.
• Early years and paediatric first-aid requirements, where applicable.
• Accident and incident recording.
• RIDDOR considerations.
• How the arrangements are reviewed.

Ardent Safety is trusted by schools across the region. We provide practical training that gives staff the confidence to respond effectively when it matters most. We can train you at our purpose-built training centre or on site at your location. We can also split courses into smaller sessions and offer evening training to work around teaching comittments. In addition, staff can individually book on to our open courses, held each month at our training centre in Barrow.

We're dedicated to making sure your team is ready to act if an emergency happens. Find out more about our First Aid courses: https://ardentsafety.co.uk/category/first-aid/ and contact us today to discuss your training needs: https://ardentsafety.co.uk/contact-us/