Health, Safety & Environment Office
Subject: First
Aid Provision
Origin: Health,
Safety & Environment Office
Background
At its meeting on
20 February 2008 the Health Safety
and Environment Committee received the outcome of a review which had considered
the availability of First Aid provision on a geographical basis across campus.
The review recommended that an additional 26 first aiders be recruited and that
provision then be capped at that level. The honorarium would remain for the
agreed number of first aiders. In terms of paying the honorarium there would be
no distinction made between staff providing this service. Even those whose job
description made it a requirement to provide first aid treatment would receive
the honorarium. The Committee approved this recommendation which would be
reported to Human Resources Working Group.
Current
status of the honoraria payment
The University currently has approximately 250 first
aiders across campus of which approximately 150 receive an honoraria, the majority
receive £100 per annum whilst Security and some first aiders who have
additional responsibility receive £130 per annum. In 2010, £13,446.31 was spent on honoraria
payments.
Review
findings
A recent review of first aid provision has
highlighted a number of issues with the current geographical system, where the
number of first aid honoraria places is allocated by building and risk.
Over the last 18 months there have been many changes
taking place, the recent move to Schools has seen many departments relocating
buildings, for example, Loughborough
Design School was formed in August 2010 through the merger of the Department of
Design and Technology,
Department of Human
Sciences (Ergonomics) and the Ergonomics and Safety Research Institute (ESRI).
Another example would be the merger of
support service departments into Hazlerigg and
Rutland Hall. These departments were
previously spread across several buildings on campus but now reside in one
building leaving some buildings without first aid cover ,whilst
others greatly exceed the set number for honoraria paid places. (Hazlerigg = 1
paid place/ currently has 4 paid places).
Recommendations
- First aid honoraria payments should be phased
out over a three year period by withdrawing the payment when the holders current certification expires.
- Continue to pay all Security staff the
honorarium at the enhanced rate of £250.
Security staff are recognised as providing a core service to the University
as a whole and are on call on a 24/7 basis.
- Additional staff shall be first aid trained whenever
requests are made by departments in order to meet their operational needs
e.g. for sporting injuries or to provide cover for field trips. However,
charges will be made back to departments to cover the training costs and
no honorarium will be paid. The need for this training should be included
on job descriptions and be specified as a control measure on any
associated risk assessments.
Costs
The cost of meeting existing honoraria payments is £13,446.31
The cost of meeting honoraria when drawn down over 3
years is £ 7000.00 (Security staff = 28 x £250 = £7000)
Action
- The Health, Safety and Environment Committee is
asked to reconsider the merit of withdrawing honoraria payments to first
aid providers and agree the suggestion to withdraw first aid honoraria.
- The Health and Safety Committee is asked to agree that all staff in
Security should receive the honorarium at the rate of £250.
- HRWG should be informed of the outcome of this item.
- Staff who receive the honorarium should be informed of the outcome of this item.
Date – October 2011
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