First Aiders and Hepatitis B Vaccinations
OHS Memo M2/04
1 September 2004
To: All Heads of Department, Administrators, Dr C Conlon
A number of employees have been trained as first aiders and have agreed to offer a first aid service to University departments. This service is greatly valued but, for almost all such individuals, first aid is provided only in response to occasional injury from workplace incidents. Consequently, the risk of exposure of first aiders to human blood or other potentially infectious materials is low and hepatitis B vaccination is not routinely required. Should such first aiders be exposed to blood or potentially infectious materials whilst administering first aid then the emergency post-exposure procedures listed in the University Policy OHS 2/03 should be followed. If a clinical assessment then identifies a risk of hepatitis B infection the first aider would normally be offered immunity cover via an accelerated course of hepatitis B vaccination and/or hepatitis B immunoglobulin. Please see 'OHS 2/03 'Policy for the management of needlestick, or other 'sharps' injuries, and splash incidents with potentially infected material' for reference. Included in this document is the flow chart Action to be taken following needlestick/sharps/splash injury 
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Departments should ensure that their first aiders are aware of this policy. Departments may also consider displaying a copy of the flowchart adjacent to first aid cabinets.
For information, there is a small number of individuals that frequently administer first aid and that provide training on the topic. For practical reasons, people in this group are offered pre-exposure hepatitis B vaccination by the Occupational Health Service, but nevertheless still comply with OHS 2/03 as infection risk extends beyond Hepatitis B.
For any queries on the above or any related matters, please contact the Occupational Health Service (tel. 01865-282676) and ask to speak to an Occupational Health Adviser.
Dr Philip Carrivick MBBS FRACGP FAFOM PhD