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Where should school first aid kits be kept?
Here's another common mistake we see when it comes to first aid kits in schools:
Having one first-aid box in the school office and assuming you're covered. In a large or spread-out school, that may not be practical.
First-aid equipment should be readily accessible and appropriate to the school's needs. Depending on your site, you may need first-aid supplies in or near areas such as:
| Location | Potential considerations |
|---|---|
| Main office / medical room | Central treatment area and additional supplies. |
| Science laboratories | Chemicals, heat and other laboratory hazards. |
| D&T workshops | Tools, machinery and materials. |
| Sports hall | Sports injuries, falls and collisions. |
| Playing fields | Distance from the main building and sports-related injuries. |
| Kitchen | Cuts and burns. |
| Separate buildings | Ensuring equipment can be reached quickly. |
| School minibuses | First-aid supplies for off-site journeys. |
The exact provision should be based on your school's needs assessment.
And remember: a first-aid kit is only useful if it contains the things you actually need.
Who checks the first-aid kits?
Someone needs to own this task. First-aid kits should be checked regularly to make sure supplies are:
It's one of those jobs that can easily become:
“I thought someone else was checking that.”
Don't let it.
Give someone clear responsibility and keep a record of checks.
What should be included in a school first-aid kit?
There isn't one legally prescribed list of contents that every school must use.
Instead, the contents should reflect your first-aid needs assessment and the activities taking place at your school.
HSE guidance can help schools decide what is appropriate, while recognised standards may also be useful when reviewing workplace first-aid equipment. Remember that different areas may have different requirements.
For example, the first-aid provision for a sports department doesn't necessarily need to look identical to the provision for a science laboratory or kitchen.
There's more on school first aid requirements on the government website here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/first-aid-in-schools
What about accidents involving pupils?
Schools should have suitable arrangements for recording accidents and incidents involving pupils and staff. But recording an accident doesn't automatically mean that it needs to be reported to the HSE.
This is where RIDDOR comes in. Read our blog on school accident reporting under RIDDOR here: https://ardentsafety.co.uk/accidents-involving-pupils/
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/
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