Covid-19
It is appreciated that COVID-19 has massively impacted families, businesses and organisations across the country. To ensure a safe environment for our customers, Response Training are currently following Government guidance and the advice from other organisations e.g. The World Health Organisation, The HSE and UK Resuscitation Council. We would like to assure you that the health and wellbeing of our customers and team are central to our core values.
The policy position the Health and Safety Executive (last updated 15.01.21), is that first aid training required to comply with health and safety or other legislation can continue to take place under relevant coronavirus restrictions in England. All possible measures must be taken to ensure that both training activities and environment are covid secure.
The latest joint statement from First Aid Quality Partnership (FAQP) and First Aid Awarding Organisation Forum (FAAOF) now discusses use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the classroom. With all these factors in mind, we have completed risk assessments and have control measures in place to meet the most up to date guidance and recommendations. This updated guidance aligns with the expectation that first aiders in the workplace will be provided with, and be expected to wear appropriate PPE for emergency first aid incidents.
Following the latest Government guidance we are therefore now fully prepared to recommence our high quality training, with the additional measures in place to protect our customers and staff at this challenging time. Changes have been made to the ways in which we will work in the future, however a high standard of hygiene and a consideration of personal safety for both our customers and staff have always been a huge priority for us. During the interim period we would like to continue to support you during these difficult and uncertain times and would like to update you on our preparation for return to business as normal.
Covid-19 - How are we keeping you and your teams safe?
We have compiled a few key points to share with you to give you confidence that Response Training are in the best place to keep you safe and well, whilst meeting your legal requirements.
There are currently exemptions to the expiry of current First Aid training certification. The HSE has announced that if your first aid at work or emergency first aid at work certificate expired on or after the 16 March 2020 and you were unable to access training to re qualify due to the coronavirus outbreak, the validity of these certificates can be extended to 31 October 2020 or 6 months from the expiry date*.
*The extension applies that if required to do so, you are able to:
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Explain why you haven’t been able to requalify.
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Demonstrate what steps you have taken to access the training.
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You should book onto requalification training as soon as you are able to in line with guidance.
Now training can resume, we have added some additional control measures to make training safe for you and your teams.
Prior to commencing a course, a learner who has any of the symptoms of COVID-19 (e.g. new persistent cough, high temperature, loss or change to sense of smell or taste) must be informed that they must not attend training. We will implement pre-course COVID-19 screening questions and non invasive forehead temperature checks at the start of each course.
On arrival, learners will be asked to thoroughly sanitise their hands. We will instruct them that if they need to cough/sneeze this should be done into a tissue that is disposed of immediately. Failing that they should cough into a bent elbow (better than a bare hand) and NEVER cough/sneeze without covering their mouth/nose. If someone coughs on their hand or uses a tissue they should use alcohol sanitizer immediately.
Lessons will be designed to ensure that the currently recommended distance of 2m is maintained between learners and between the learners and trainers. If close contact is absolutely necessary for teaching or assessment purposes. Sensible adaptions to training and assessment activities will be introduced. To maintain safety, any contact <2m distance will be kept to an absolute minimum.
Dependent on the size of the customers training room we may invoke reduced class sizes to maintain social distancing throughout (dependent on venue and a risk assessment carried out by customer). With this in mind, consideration must be given if requesting a full course of 12 participants, that the planned room will accommodate all learners safely.
As you would realise first aid training is a practical subject. We have altered our training strategies to ensure that trainers and delegates do not touch and remain socially distanced during practical sessions. There will be hand sanitisation available and regular hand-washing protocols in place following all practical interactions. All learners are issued with hygiene packs and are required to wear face coverings, eye protection, gloves and aprons during the practical elements and assessments.
A ‘triple fail-safe’ level of protection will also be in place to prevent the possibility of cross contamination from rescue breaths.
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Our manikins have a one-way valve systems. Each learner will be issued with their own manikin face piece.
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PLUS all learners will additionally be supplied with a CPR face shield to use throughout the course.
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Shared use of manikins for CPR will be minimised as far as practically possible. Where manikins are shared, they will be kept to the same small group of delegates to prevent the possibility of course-wide infection spread.
Rigorous manikin hygiene will be monitored and applied throughout and after each course, manikin lungs and airways will be replaced following manufacturer’s instructions, and all face pieces deep cleaned.
In addition, participants will be encouraged to wear latex free gloves for relevant practical sessions and we have 3 ply civilian face-coverings for learners should they wish to wear them. Learners will also be able to wear their own face coverings if they choose.
As this is a new disease, this is an ever-changing situation and the Government and NHS are continually updating their advice. We advise that you regularly review the Gov.uk website which has a specific section on Coronavirus. We will continue to review and update our practice, based upon the most current guidance available.