First aid

Contact a First Aid Officer in your area if you or someone else is injured or ill.

You must also report incidents, injuries and illnesses that are work-related or occur in the workplace.

Procedures

For first aid procedures, see:

• First Aid Guideline
• Working Safety with Blood and Body Fluids Policy and Guideline
• First Aid Treatment for Burns Guideline
• First Aid Management of Anaphylaxis Guideline.

Training

UQ provides first aid training that is open to all staff.

You must complete accredited first aid training before you become a First Aid Officer. Check the training and induction requirements for First Aid Officers.

First Aid Officers

UQ-required First Aid Officers must:

• hold current First Aid and CPR certification
• administer first aid to UQ staff, students and visitors where necessary
• maintain first aid facilities and equipment in their area
• document occurrences of illness and injury requiring first aid treatment.

First aid requirements at UQ will vary across campuses and workplaces according to the nature of hazards, tasks and the size and location of the workplace. First-aid requirements must be implemented in accordance with the First aid in the workplace Code of Practice 2021 and the UQ First Aid Guideline.

The number of First Aid Officers needed in your area is determined by a risk assessment conducted by the head of the organisational area. Appendix A of the First aid in the workplace – Code of practice 2021 provides guidance on the first aid risk management process, number of first aid officers needed and relevant items to have in a first aid kit.

For further information please refer to First Aid Officers (FAOs) Section in  First Aid Guideline. 

Eligibility

As per the Enterprise Agreement – the FAO allowance is only an entitlement for professional staff.  Academic staff do not have this entitlement.
UQ professional staff who are required by the Head of the Organisational Unit to hold a First Aid Certificate:

• are eligible to apply for payment of the first aid allowance in accordance with the Enterprise Agreement; and
• must apply for the allowance by submitting a request though Workday.

FAOs who receive the allowance are obliged to respond promptly to any requests for first aid assistance and the application of first aid within the scope of their certified training at any UQ workplace.

The allowance is funded by the Organisational Unit and may be applied for annually by the required FAOs who have met the qualification requirements as outlined in section 3.3 of this procedure. Further information about applying for the allowance is available from local Human Resources Professional Services Teams.

Some UQ professional staff may be required to hold a first aid qualification and be required to provide first aid for certain tasks / activities for short periods of time during the year, such as field work.  In these circumstances, the FAO is entitiled to receive the FAO allowance for this period and can apply for this through Workday.

UQ workers who have first aid qualifications, but are not formally required by the University to hold such qualifications are not eligible for the First Aid Allowance. 

Applying for the allowance

Applying for the FAO allowance is an online process through Workday and must be discussed with the person’s direct supervisor prior to applying.

The current First Aid Certificate must be upload into Workday (see Add Certifications) to begin the process by the FAO, this will then appear in the supervisors staff profile. There are no notifications in Workday for this process, the applicant must notify their supervisor the certificate has been uploaded and that they must initiate the process.

The supervisor must submit a request to have the first aid allowance paid to the applicant in Workday (refer  Payment - Systems Training Hub, quick reference guide Submit Off-Cycle Compensation Change Request). Once submitted, the supervisor should notify the applicant and the WHSC that this has occurred.

Once the allowance has been approved, the applicant will receive a notification confirming this.

Additional information and any further queries can also be sought from AskHR.

First aid kits and supplies

First Aid Officers maintain first aid facilities, equipment and supplies in their area. You can order first aid supplies via the UQeMARKET other preferred suppliers.

For recommended items to include in a first aid kit, see 'Example of contents for a first aid kit' in the Queensland First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice (PDF, 418.3 KB). Contact the Occupational Health Nurse Advisor for further advice.

Defibrillator Considerations

While having an AED is good practice, it is up to each org unit/location to assess if an AED is needed.  This is done through a Risk Assessment.

A Risk Assessment should incorporate the following 

• Is the nearest AED further then a one-minute walk or run? 
• Are there workers with known cardiac risk factors? 
• Would there be a delay with getting trained medical personnel on the scene?
• Is it a high-risk workplace, or workplace where there is a risk of electrocution?
• Are there large numbers of members of the public in the area?

If there is a risk of cardiac arrest in the workplace then the following considerations will make having the AED in the workplace more effective:

Location – accessible, visible and central. Where people will see it and be able to access it quickly in the event of an emergency. High-traffic areas or areas where someone is most likely to go into sudden cardiac arrest.  Accessible to people with a disability.

Proper set up – follow the instructions as per manufacturer’s guidelines. Standardized bright signs and cabinets should mark AED locations. Consider purchasing an alarmed (audible or back to security) AED wall cabinet to house the AED and all of the accessories. This will make it stand out more, securely house the AED and all its accessories, alert bystanders or security of the medical emergency and deter theft or tampering.  

Training – while formal training is not required to use an AED, workers need to be aware that it is available at their workplace and given a demonstration.  This will ensure everyone feels comfortable to use it during an emergency.

Maintenance – routine maintenance (testing and inspection for damage and expiration) as per manufacturer’s recommendations are required to keep the AED in proper working order and is critical for ensuring that the defibrillator remains fully operational and effective. 

Defibrillator locations

Defibrillator locations is now accessible via UQ Maps (St Lucia only, Herston, Gatton and Long Pocket work in progress).