General Workplace Safety
First Aid

Departments have overall responsibility for ensuring adequate first aid provisions are made.  All areas must have access to trained first aiders and first aid supplies. On BBC premises this should be arranged in co-operation with Facilities Management.  Most buildings occupied by staff of Network Television and Television Resources are shared, either between output and resource divisions staff or with staff of other divisions, e.g. News & Current Affairs or World Service.  BBC Workplace have agreed to undertake a co-ordinating role, whereby they will monitor numbers and distribution of First Aiders.  Line Managers in occupying divisions will be notified if volunteers are required to supplement existing First Aid provision and when existing First Aiders are due for refresher training.

 

This arrangement will deal with First Aid provision on BBC premises but not on production or other locations.

 

Wherever BBC staff are at work there must be an understanding that someone will deal with any injury that occurs.  Where 15 or more workers are present (BBC or otherwise) this should be done by a qualified First Aider.  Where less than 15 persons are present treatment should be provided by an Appointed Person, trained in emergency First Aid.

 

 

First Aid Provision with Other Employees
Where BBC staff share premises with another employer, then arrangements to share first aid facilities can be made, which again should be confirmed in writing.

 

 

Responsible Manager for Base Activities
The responsible manager for base activities must ensure that:

 

The basic requirement is for the provision of one first aider for every 50 (or part of 50) employees.  It is common practice to require security and fire officers to be qualified in first aid. However, in an emergency they will be pre-occupied with other duties and should not therefore count towards the basic provision of one first aider for every 50 employees.

 

Consideration should be given to using Appointed Persons, trained in emergency first aid, at locations where there are small numbers of staff (e.g. less than 15) and no significant major hazards.

 

 

Visitors and Audiences
First aid cover must be adequate not just for their own staff but also adequate for visitors and/or audiences where relevant.

 

The responsibility for providing first aid cover for visitors and audiences rests with the host, or organising, division.  The first aid needs of small numbers of occasional visitors can be met by the first aiders and facilities provided for employees but it will be necessary to make special arrangements where there is a large number of visitors relative to the number of employees.

 

The standard of first aid competence and care provided for visitors should be the same as that provided for employees.

 

For an audience there should be a minimum of two first aiders, or one for every 1,000 persons, whichever is the greater.  Productions may obviously use more at their discretion.

 

For 5,000 or more persons, arrangements should also be made with the local health authority Chief Ambulance Officer (or, with the CAOs approval, one of the voluntary first aid organisations) for the provision of an ambulance.

 

 

Communications in Buildings
Managers, together with Facilities Management, must ensure there are arrangements for advising staff on the first aid arrangements for the buildings; including out of hour's arrangements.

 

The manager of premises must maintain a list of current first aiders, and post suitable notices (which comply with current Safety Signs Regulations) enabling building users to identify available first aiders.

 

 

Selection and Training
Departments have overall responsibility for ensuring adequate first aid provisions are made. All areas must have access to trained first aiders and first aid supplies. On BBC premises this should be arranged in co-operation with Facilities Management.

Managers must ensure suitable staff are identified and nominated to train as First Aiders as required.

 

Where Managers or Producers are managing those working away from base they are responsible for ensuring the provision of adequate first aid facilities in terms of first aid supplies and first aiders/competent persons.

 

 

On Location
Managers and/or Producers managing work on location and/or away from base must ensure that adequate first aid provision is made available at all times.

 

First aid training or emergency first aid training should be offered to travelling staff, for example, rigger drivers (who are present at Outside Broadcast venues), transmitter engineers (who may undertake hazardous work in isolated locations), and Building and Engineering Services staff.
 
It is the responsibility of the Producer to ensure that there is adequate first aid cover for all productions, including outside broadcasts and location work. This may involve collaboration with other employers (see First Aid provision with other Employers . It may be convenient to provide the necessary level of first aid cover by training assistant floor managers and production managers.

 

First aid kits should be installed in BBC vehicles used in outside broadcasts by travelling engineers, or by any other groups of workers on BBC business in remote areas or isolated locations. Staff who have to travel extensively may also need training in first aid.

 

 

Producer's Responsibilities
Where Managers or Producers are managing those working away from base they are responsible for ensuring the provision of adequate first aid facilities in terms of first aid supplies and first aiders/competent persons.

 

It is the responsibility of the Producer to ensure that there is adequate First Aid cover on each production. It is, however, a matter for Heads of Department to ensure that an adequate number of staff in the department are trained.

 

In departments, such as Drama and Entertainment, where production teams tend to be large there will be a need for a pool of fully trained (statutory) First Aiders. In factual programme departments it will more often be appropriate to provide only emergency First Aid training.

 

It is the responsibility of Managers or Producers to ensure safe disposal of soiled dressings or spills of body fluids.