First aid needs assessment

What is ‘adequate and appropriate'?

A first aid needs assessment is required in order to decide what provision is necessary. This assessment should consider the circumstances of your congregational workforce and the hazards and risks that may be present in the day-to-day activities being carried out in the church buildings.

The completed risk assessment can also be used to assist with identifying hazards and risk considerations in the needs assessment template.

In assessing the first aid needs for your congregation, the health and safety-appointed representative should consider:

• The nature of the work and other activities undertaken e.g., ground maintenance and machinery used by staff
• Workplace hazards and risks (including specific hazards requiring special arrangements)
• The nature of activities taking place at church buildings
• The work patterns of your staff and suitable first aider provision across varying operating times
• Holiday and other absences of those who will be first aiders and appointed persons
• Your congregation's history of accidents and injury.

You may also need to consider:

• The needs of travelling, remote and lone workers
• The remoteness of your buildings from emergency medical services and likely response times
• Whether your employees work on single or multi-occupancy sites
• First aid provision for non-employees (e.g. groups and lets using the buildings who may not have a first aider)

The first aid needs assessment should also consider whether trained first aiders are required and what should be included in a first aid box. The contents required will depend on the types of activities taking place within your congregational buildings and the likelihood of having to deal with a certain type of injury.

Congregational health and safety representatives, the safety committee and the first aider(s) should carry out an assessment of first aid needs to determine what to provide in line with the activities and the likely risks associated with the activities undertaken within the church buildings.

First aid rooms should be made available where the first aid needs assessment deems that a room should be available. It is unlikely that a first aid room would be a requirement for a congregation. Health and safety-appointed representatives should seek further advice from the General Trustees should they believe a first aid room is required.

First aid provision must be ‘adequate and appropriate' in the circumstances. This means that you must provide sufficient first aid equipment (first aid kit), facilities and personnel at all times. In considering these factors, Charity Trustees should be in a position to maintain a basic record of required first aid provision as shown below. This provision should be reviewed annually or following an incident.

Record of first aid provision