Working in early childhood education and care means spending your days with curious, energetic children who are still learning their own physical limits. That combination of energy and inexperience means childcare settings have a distinct set of first aid risks — and being prepared for them isn’t optional. Understanding the most common hazards in your service isn’t just good practice. Under the Education and Care Services National Law and National Regulations, approved services must maintain current first aid qualifications and have a first aid policy in place. ACECQA requires that at least one staff member with current first aid, anaphylaxis management, and asthma first aid training is present at all times during operating hours. Here’s a straightforward look at what you’re most likely to face — and what to do about it. Choking Choking is one of the most serious and time-critical emergencies in childcare. Children under five have small airways and are still developing their chewing and swallowing skills. They also put things in their mouths constantly — food, small toys, coins, bottle caps. Food is the most common cause of choking in young children, with grapes, hard lollies, raw carrots, and whole nuts among the highest-risk items. The Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne includes choking as one of the most frequent paediatric emergencies requiring immediate first aid intervention. If a child can cough forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing. If they cannot cough, cry, or breathe, you need to act immediately: This is a first aid skill that needs hands-on practice to perform confidently under pressure. Reading about it and doing it are two very different things. Anaphylaxis Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening allergic reaction that can develop within minutes of exposure to a trigger. In childcare settings, the most common triggers include peanuts, tree nuts, eggs, cow’s milk, sesame, wheat, and insect stings. The Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) estimates that around one in 20 Australian children has a food allergy, making childcare services a high-risk environment. Children with known allergies should have an ASCIA Action Plan and an adrenaline auto-injector (such as an EpiPen) on site at all times. Signs of anaphylaxis include swelling of the face, lips, or throat; difficulty breathing or swallowing; a sudden drop in blood pressure causing paleness and limpness; and vomiting or diarrhoea alongside other symptoms. The first response is to administer the adrenaline auto-injector immediately, then call 000. Antihistamines alone are not sufficient treatment for anaphylaxis — they will not stop a severe reaction. Under the Education and Care Services National Regulations, services that enrol a child with a diagnosed anaphylaxis risk must have a risk minimisation strategy in place and a staff member with current anaphylaxis management training on duty at all times. Febrile Seizures Febrile seizures are convulsions triggered by a sudden spike in body temperature. They are most common in children aged six months to five years. For most children, they stop on their own within one to five minutes and cause no lasting harm — but witnessing one for the first time is frightening, and knowing what to do matters. During a febrile seizure: After the seizure, the child will be drowsy and confused. Keep them comfortable, notify parents or guardians immediately, and seek medical advice. The Raising Children Network recommends that any child who has a first-time febrile seizure be assessed by a doctor, even if they appear to recover quickly. Falls and Head Injuries Falls are the leading cause of injury in Australian children, according to Kidsafe Australia. In childcare settings, falls happen on climbing equipment, from furniture, and on wet or uneven ground. Most falls result in minor bumps and grazes — but a fall involving the head warrants careful monitoring. Signs of a serious head injury include loss of consciousness (even briefly), persistent vomiting after the fall, unequal pupils, confusion or unusual drowsiness, and seizures following the injury. If any of these signs are present, call 000 immediately. For minor bumps, apply a cold compress, record the incident, and advise parents to watch for changes in behaviour, sleep, or balance at home over the next 24 hours. WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work Australia both require that workplace injuries — including those involving children in your care — are recorded and reported appropriately. Keeping detailed incident records protects both children and staff. Burns and Scalds Burns are a significant risk in childcare, particularly near kitchen areas or any space where hot drinks or food are present. Young children have thinner skin than adults, so even brief contact with hot liquid can cause a serious scald injury. The first response to a burn or scald is to cool the area under cool (not cold or iced) running water for at least 20 minutes, starting within three hours of the injury. Do not apply butter, toothpaste, or ice — these cause further damage and increase infection risk. For any burn larger than a 20-cent piece, or any burn on the face, hands, feet, or genitals, call 000 or transport the child to emergency immediately. Scalds from hot liquids are consistently among the most common paediatric burn injuries presenting to hospital emergency departments in Australia. Asthma Asthma is one of the most common chronic conditions in Australian children. Asthma Australia reports that approximately one in nine Australians has asthma, with children making up a significant proportion of that group. In a childcare environment, common triggers include dust, mould, animal dander, pollen, physical activity, and respiratory infections. If a child in your care has asthma, they should have a current written Asthma Action Plan from their doctor and a reliever inhaler (usually a blue puffer) and spacer on site at all times. Signs of an asthma flare-up include persistent coughing, wheezing, tightness in the chest, and difficulty breathing. Follow the child’s Asthma Action Plan and use their spacer and puffer as directed. If there is no improvement after four puffs, or the child is deteriorating, call 000. Being Prepared Is Part of the Job

It’s 9:30 on a Tuesday morning. A second-year apprentice is running cable through a switchboard on a commercial build in the outer northern suburbs of Melbourne. The work is routine — the kind of job he’s done dozens of times. Then something goes wrong. He contacts a live conductor. His body stiffens, he can’t let go, and within seconds he slumps to the floor. His supervisor is twenty metres away. Another tradie on site is even further. Neither has responded to an electrical incident before. What happens in the next three minutes will determine whether this young man walks out of hospital or not. This post walks through exactly what should happen — and what too often doesn’t. Step 1: Don’t Touch the Victim Until the Power Is Off The most dangerous instinct in this situation is the urge to grab the person and pull them away. If the power is still live, you become the next victim. The first thing anyone on site should do is call out to the worker — loudly. If there’s no response and the situation looks electrical, your priority is isolating the power source before getting physically close. On most commercial worksites, this means locating the main switchboard and isolating the relevant circuit using the site isolation procedures established under Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: How to Manage Work Health and Safety Risks. Confirm isolation before you approach. If the worker is still in contact with an energised source and the power cannot be quickly isolated, do not touch them. Call 000 immediately and follow dispatcher instructions. Attempting to push or drag someone away from a live source using a non-conducting object — like dry timber — is a last resort and should only be attempted if you are specifically trained to do so safely. Step 2: Call 000 Immediately This happens in parallel with isolating the power, not after. One person isolates. Another calls 000. On a well-run site there’s a chain of command for exactly this situation, and everyone knows their role before it’s needed. If you’re alone, call 000 first, then isolate if it’s safe to do so. The dispatcher will stay on the line, provide instructions, and alert the closest ambulance. Time matters enormously with electric shock — cardiac arrest can follow within seconds of the initial contact, and the heart may already be in an abnormal rhythm before the person hits the ground. Step 3: Assess and Begin CPR if Needed Once the power is confirmed off and it’s safe to approach, check for: If the worker is unresponsive and not breathing normally, begin CPR immediately. Follow the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines: 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths if you’re trained and willing, or compressions-only CPR if you’re not confident with rescue breaths. Compress hard and fast — aim for 100 to 120 compressions per minute — and minimise interruptions. If an automated external defibrillator (AED) is on site, get it as quickly as possible without stopping CPR. Electric shock can cause ventricular fibrillation — a chaotic heart rhythm that stops the heart from pumping effectively — and an AED may be the only thing that restores a normal beat. Step 4: Treat for Shock and Burns While Waiting for Paramedics Electric shock doesn’t always cause dramatic visible injury, but internal damage can be significant. High-voltage incidents can cause deep tissue burns, organ damage, and spinal injuries from muscle spasm. Even if the worker regains consciousness and seems okay, keep them still and calm. Don’t let them walk around or downplay what just happened — the urge to shake it off and get back to work is real, and it can mask serious injury. For burn injuries at contact points, cool the burn under cool running water for 20 minutes. Don’t use ice, butter, or any other home remedy. Cover loosely with a sterile or clean dressing if available. Keep the worker warm to help prevent physiological shock — the body’s systemic response to trauma. Lay them down if possible, unless a spinal injury is suspected. Step 5: Document the Incident Once the immediate emergency is being managed, someone on site should start recording what happened — time of incident, circuit involved, what the worker was doing, what steps were taken, and when 000 was called. This documentation matters for several reasons. Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (Victoria), serious workplace incidents must be reported to WorkSafe Victoria as soon as practicable. Preserving the scene and documenting the sequence of events protects workers, supports the investigation, and ensures the cause is identified so it doesn’t happen again. Your site supervisor or employer has specific legal obligations here. It’s worth being clear on what those are before an incident occurs — not scrambling to find out in the aftermath. What This Scenario Reveals About First Aid Readiness Here’s the uncomfortable reality: almost everything that went right in the response above depends on people having had training — and having had it recently. Knowing not to touch a live victim. Knowing how to locate and isolate a circuit quickly. Knowing how to perform effective CPR. Knowing how to use an AED. Knowing how to treat a burn correctly without making it worse. None of this is instinctive. None of it can be learned in the moment. WorkSafe Victoria requires that workplaces maintain an adequate number of trained first aiders, appropriate to the hazards of the work environment. For electrical trade work — which carries genuine risk of cardiac events, burns, and fall injuries — that’s not an administrative formality. It’s a practical safety requirement. Safe Work Australia’s Model Code of Practice: First Aid in the Workplace recommends that all workers have access to first aid equipment and that first aid officers are trained with skills refreshed regularly. For tasks like low voltage rescue (LVR), annual renewal is required under the relevant units of competency. If someone on that Melbourne worksite had completed their LVR

The bell rings. Year 7 students file into the canteen. It’s a Tuesday lunchtime, and everything looks ordinary — until one student suddenly pushes her tray away, starts scratching her neck, and says she doesn’t feel right. This is how anaphylaxis often begins in a school setting: not dramatically, but quietly — with a student who seems a little off, then suddenly a lot worse. This post walks through what a well-prepared school staff response looks like, step by step. The Scenario Mia is 12 years old. Her school has a current ASCIA Action Plan on file, noting a severe allergy to peanuts. She’s never had a serious reaction at school before. At lunch, she picks up a food item from the canteen that, unknown to her, was prepared with traces of peanut oil. Within minutes of eating, she notices tingling in her mouth and lips, itching on her neck and arms, a feeling of tightness in her throat, and nausea. A duty teacher notices her sitting alone, looking distressed, and goes over to check. Step 1 — Recognise and Act The first priority is recognition, not certainty. You don’t need a confirmed diagnosis of anaphylaxis to act — waiting for certainty costs critical time. According to the Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA), signs of anaphylaxis in someone with a known allergy include difficult or noisy breathing, swelling of the tongue, tightness in the throat, difficulty talking or a hoarse voice, wheeze or persistent cough, loss of consciousness or collapse, and pale or floppy appearance in young children. Mia has a swollen lip, is struggling to swallow comfortably, and her voice is becoming slightly hoarse. A trained staff member recognises this as a potential anaphylactic reaction and acts without hesitation. Step 2 — Call for Help and Locate the Action Plan The staff member asks a nearby student to fetch the first aid officer immediately and to bring Mia’s EpiPen from the school’s medical office. Mia is helped to sit or lie down — whatever she finds most comfortable. If she’s having trouble breathing, sitting upright may ease her breathing better than lying flat. Every student with a known severe allergy should have an ASCIA-approved Action Plan on file. This is a requirement under the Education and Care Services National Regulations and reflects best practice under ASCIA guidelines. The plan confirms: administer adrenaline autoinjector (EpiPen) to the outer mid-thigh at the first sign of anaphylaxis. Step 3 — Administer the Adrenaline Autoinjector The first aid officer arrives with Mia’s EpiPen. They administer it to the outer mid-thigh — through clothing is fine — and hold it in place for the count of ten. The time of administration is noted: 12:47 pm. It’s worth being clear about technique here. The EpiPen should be pressed firmly against the outer mid-thigh, not the inner thigh or buttock. The orange tip goes down. There’s a distinct click when it fires. Hold for ten seconds, then remove and massage the area gently. The used autoinjector is kept to hand over to paramedics. Step 4 — Call 000 Immediately Even if the adrenaline works and Mia starts to improve, calling 000 is non-negotiable. ASCIA guidelines are clear: every person who receives adrenaline for anaphylaxis must be transported to hospital by ambulance. A biphasic reaction — a second wave of symptoms — can occur hours later, even after apparent recovery. The staff member calls 000 and states clearly: “We have a student having an anaphylactic reaction. We’ve administered an EpiPen. We need an ambulance at [school name and address].” Step 5 — Monitor and Be Ready to Give a Second Dose Staff stay with Mia at all times, monitoring her breathing, skin colour, and level of consciousness until the ambulance arrives. If her symptoms don’t improve or worsen within five minutes, a second EpiPen should be administered if one is available. Schools should always aim to have at least one spare adrenaline autoinjector on site for exactly this reason. If Mia loses consciousness and stops breathing normally, the staff member is prepared to begin CPR. This is another reason first aid training for school staff must include both anaphylaxis response and CPR — the two skills go hand in hand in a worst-case scenario. Step 6 — Notify Parents and Document Everything A second staff member contacts Mia’s parents. The principal is notified. Careful documentation begins immediately: when symptoms first appeared, when the EpiPen was administered, how Mia responded, and a timeline of events. This record is handed to paramedics on arrival and kept on file for the school’s incident reporting obligations. What Made This Response Work Three things came together to give Mia the best possible outcome. Staff who recognised the signs early. Without training that specifically covers anaphylaxis, a duty teacher might have dismissed the symptoms as anxiety or a mild reaction and waited for them to pass. Early recognition is the single biggest factor in a positive outcome. An up-to-date ASCIA Action Plan and adrenaline autoinjector on site. ASCIA recommends that schools keep at least one general-use adrenaline autoinjector available for emergencies, in addition to any prescribed device for individual students. Victoria’s Ministerial Order 706 requires schools to have documented anaphylaxis management policies, including individual student plans and staff training. Practised, calm decision-making under pressure. First aid training doesn’t just teach the steps — it gives staff the confidence to act without second-guessing. In anaphylaxis, the difference between acting at minute one and waiting until minute five can be the difference between a full recovery and a critical outcome. The Reality of Anaphylaxis in Schools Anaphylaxis can be triggered by foods (particularly peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, egg, wheat, fish, and shellfish), insect stings, medications, and latex. ASCIA estimates that food allergy affects approximately one in 20 children in Australia, and rates of anaphylaxis in young people are rising. Schools are one of the highest-risk settings. Students are away from their parents, may encounter allergens they don’t realise are present, and

Burns are one of the most common childhood injuries seen in childcare settings. Hot drinks, ovens, steam, and other heat sources can cause serious harm to young children — and the way you respond in the first few minutes can make a real difference to how well the injury heals. This guide walks through the current best-practice approach to burn first aid in childcare, based on Australian guidelines from the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA) and the Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC). Why Burns Are a Higher Risk in Childcare Settings Young children have thinner, more sensitive skin than adults. This means the same heat source that would cause a minor burn in an adult can cause a far more serious injury in a toddler or infant. A spilled cup of tea, a hot pot on a low shelf, or a poorly supervised moment near a heat source can result in a burn requiring hospital care. According to the Australian and New Zealand Burns Association (ANZBA), children under five are among the highest-risk groups for scalds — burns caused by hot liquids or steam. In childcare environments, scalds are the most common burn type. That makes first aid training for childcare workers especially important. The Golden Rule: 20 Minutes of Cool Running Water The single most important thing you can do for a burn is cool it — immediately and for a full 20 minutes under cool (not cold) running water. Current first aid guidelines from ANZBA and the Australian Resuscitation Council are clear: This 20-minute window matters. Research shows that cooling within the first three hours of a burn can continue to reduce tissue damage, but starting immediately after the injury makes the biggest difference. If you’re unsure how long it’s been, cool it anyway. Step-by-Step: Responding to a Burn in Childcare Step 1: Ensure safetyRemove the child from the source of the burn. If clothing is on fire, use stop-drop-roll. Never pull off clothing that has melted or stuck to skin. Step 2: Cool the burn immediatelyHold the affected area under cool running water for 20 minutes. For burns to the face, use a wet cloth or gentle pouring of water. Keep the rest of the child warm — use a dry towel or blanket over other parts of the body to prevent hypothermia, especially in infants and toddlers. Step 3: Remove jewellery and clothing near the burnRemove watches, rings, and clothing near the burned area — but only if they haven’t melted onto the skin. Swelling develops quickly and tight items can restrict circulation. Step 4: Cover the burnAfter cooling, loosely cover the burn with a non-adherent dressing, cling film (laid flat, not wrapped tightly), or a clean plastic bag. Do not use fluffy materials like cotton wool — fibres can stick to the wound and complicate wound care. Step 5: Seek medical attentionCall 000 for serious burns, or take the child to the nearest emergency department. Do not delay for burns to the face, hands, feet, genitals, or joints. Burns larger than approximately 1% of the child’s body surface area (roughly the size of the child’s palm) should be assessed by a doctor. Step 6: Notify the familyChildcare services are legally required to notify parents or guardians of any injury requiring medical attention. Document the incident thoroughly in your incident register, in accordance with the Education and Care Services National Law. When to Call 000 Immediately Some burns are medical emergencies. Call triple zero (000) straight away if: In childcare settings, it’s better to call for help and not need it than to wait and be wrong. When in doubt, call. What NOT to Do A lot of first aid mythology surrounds burns. To be direct — educators should never: These are persistent myths, but they cause real harm. Cool running water for 20 minutes is what the evidence supports. What Childcare Regulations Say About First Aid Readiness The Education and Care Services National Law and Regulations require all childcare services to maintain adequate first aid provisions at all times. Key requirements include: The Australian Children’s Education and Care Quality Authority (ACECQA) provides detailed guidance on these requirements as part of the National Quality Framework. Ensuring your team’s training is current isn’t just good practice — it’s a legal requirement. How Hands-On Training Makes the Difference Knowing what to do in theory is one thing. Being able to act calmly and correctly under pressure — with a distressed child in front of you — is another. That’s what first aid training builds: the muscle memory and confidence to respond well in the moment. For childcare educators, HLTAID012 — Provide First Aid in an Education and Care Setting — covers paediatric-specific first aid, including burns, choking, anaphylaxis management, and CPR on infants and children. It’s designed for the real conditions educators face, not a generic workplace course. Regular refresher training also matters. First aid guidelines are updated as new evidence emerges, and skills fade without practice. Scheduling training every one to three years keeps your team ready. References Ready to Train Your Team? If your childcare service needs first aid training that genuinely prepares educators for real emergencies, book your first aid training with AB First Aid in Tullamarine. Our HLTAID012 course is designed specifically for early childhood educators — practical, engaging, and built around the scenarios you actually face at work.

It starts like any ordinary Tuesday. You’re supporting a participant in their home — a 38-year-old man with an intellectual disability who lives independently with daily check-ins. He’s at the kitchen table eating lunch while you finish documenting the morning’s support notes. Then you hear it: a sharp, sudden silence where there should be chewing and conversation. You look up. He’s gripping the edge of the table, eyes wide, not making a sound. His face is beginning to flush. This is choking. And what you do in the next 60 seconds matters more than almost anything else you will do in your career as a support worker. Why Choking Is a Serious Risk in NDIS Settings Choking is one of the most preventable causes of sudden death in Australia, and support workers are statistically more likely to witness it than most other workers. Clients living with intellectual disabilities, acquired brain injuries, cerebral palsy, or neurological conditions often experience difficulty with swallowing — a condition known as dysphagia. According to clinical practice guidelines cited by the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, people with certain disabilities have significantly elevated rates of swallowing difficulties compared to the general population. This means that for NDIS support workers, the question isn’t if you will encounter a choking emergency — it’s when. The first priority when any client shows signs of choking is to assess whether they can cough. If they are coughing forcefully, encourage them to keep coughing. A strong cough is the most effective way to clear an airway obstruction. Do not intervene physically unless the cough becomes weak, stops, or the person cannot speak or breathe. Back to That Tuesday: What Happens Next Your client cannot cough. He’s making high-pitched sounds — sometimes called stridor — and his skin is becoming mottled around the lips. That’s a clear sign of a partial or complete airway obstruction. You act immediately. Step 1: Call for help. If someone else is in the home, shout for them now. Call Triple Zero (000) if the situation does not resolve in the next few seconds. Do not delay calling — you can perform first aid while waiting for the ambulance. Step 2: Encourage leaning forward. Ask your client to lean forward over the table or your arm. Gravity assists in dislodging the obstruction. Step 3: Deliver five firm back blows. Using the heel of your hand, strike firmly between the shoulder blades five times. Each blow should be distinct and forceful — not a pat. The goal is to create a sharp pressure change in the airway to dislodge the obstruction. Step 4: Check the mouth. Look in the mouth only if you can clearly see an object. Never perform a blind finger sweep — this can push the obstruction deeper. Step 5: Five abdominal thrusts. If back blows don’t work, move to abdominal thrusts (the Heimlich manoeuvre). Stand behind your client, place one fist above the navel and below the sternum, wrap your other hand around it, and thrust firmly inward and upward five times. Continue alternating five back blows with five abdominal thrusts until the obstruction is cleared, the person loses consciousness, or paramedics arrive. In our scenario, the third round of back blows dislodges a piece of food. Your client gasps, draws a breath, and starts coughing. His colour begins to return. You call 000 anyway — because he needs to be assessed by paramedics, even if the immediate danger has passed. If Your Client Becomes Unconscious If at any point your client loses consciousness and stops breathing normally, the situation becomes a cardiac arrest. Lower them carefully to the ground, call 000 immediately if you haven’t already, and begin CPR. The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines recommend 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, repeated until help arrives or the person begins to breathe. If you’re not confident with rescue breaths, hands-only CPR (compressions only) is still significantly better than no CPR at all. ARC guidelines are regularly updated and are freely available at resus.org.au. They are the national standard that all first aid training in Australia must align with. Modified Technique for Clients Who Use Wheelchairs If your client uses a wheelchair and cannot stand or lean forward easily, the abdominal thrust technique needs to be adapted. Position yourself behind the wheelchair, reach around the client’s body, and perform the thrusts from behind, keeping the chair stable. For clients in powered or bariatric chairs, knowing your client’s mobility and physical profile in advance is critical — this is something worth discussing in care planning and practising in your training. The NDIS Practice Standards (specifically Outcome 2.5 on emergency and disaster management) require that support workers are trained and competent to respond to emergencies. That explicitly includes first aid. But “trained” means more than knowing the theory — it means you can actually do it when your hands are shaking and someone’s life depends on it. What This Scenario Teaches Us A few things stand out from this example beyond the immediate mechanics of choking response. Know your client’s swallowing profile. If a client has a swallowing assessment or modified diet plan, understand it and follow it consistently. Choking prevention is as important as the response itself. If a client has a known dysphagia risk, that information should be prominent in their support plan. Don’t hesitate when the signs are clear. Support workers sometimes wait too long because they’re not sure if it’s “bad enough.” The rule is simple: if a person cannot speak, breathe, or cough effectively, act immediately. Train regularly. First aid skills deteriorate without practice. WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work Australia both recommend that workers in high-risk care environments maintain current first aid certification. The recommended minimum for most NDIS providers is a Provide First Aid (HLTAID011) certificate, renewed every three years, with CPR (HLTAID009) renewed annually. Document the incident. After any emergency — even one that resolves quickly — complete an incident report as required by your organisation

If you work in a school — whether you’re a principal, a business manager, or a staff member who’s been handed the first aid kit — knowing what the law actually requires can be harder than it sounds. Requirements sit across multiple frameworks: national WHS laws, Victorian Department of Education (DET) policies, and sector-specific guidelines on anaphylaxis and asthma management. This post breaks it down clearly, so your school isn’t just hoping it’s compliant — it actually is. The Legal Framework: Where the Obligations Come From First aid obligations for schools in Victoria come from two main sources. The first is the Occupational Health and Safety Act 2004 (Vic) and its associated regulations. Under the OHS Act, employers — including school principals as employers of staff — must provide first aid facilities, equipment, and trained personnel appropriate to the hazards of the workplace. Safe Work Australia’s First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice (2021) provides detailed guidance on what “appropriate” means in practice, including recommended ratios of first aid officers to workers. The second framework is the Department of Education, Victoria (DET), whose operational guidelines overlay the OHS requirements with education-specific obligations. These cover student wellbeing, anaphylaxis management, asthma management, and mandatory reporting requirements that intersect with first aid response. How Many First Aid Officers Does a School Need? Safe Work Australia’s Code of Practice recommends that workplaces in low-risk environments have at least one first aid officer for every 50 workers. Most general school office and classroom environments would sit in a low-risk category for staff purposes — but the overall picture is more complex. DET guidance makes clear that schools must consider the full population at risk, not just staff numbers. In practice, Victorian schools are expected to maintain adequate first aid coverage at all times, including during yard duty, sport, excursions, and any other activities where students are under supervision. There is no single fixed student-to-officer ratio mandated under state law, but the expectation is that trained staff can respond promptly regardless of where on the school grounds an incident occurs. Victorian Catholic and independent schools operate under their own sector policies, but all remain subject to the underlying obligations of the OHS Act 2004. Anaphylaxis: A Specific Legal Requirement in Victoria Unlike most first aid requirements, anaphylaxis management is specifically legislated in Victoria — not just covered by guidance. The Education and Training Reform Act 2006 (Vic) requires all registered schools to have an anaphylaxis management policy. DET’s Anaphylaxis Guidelines for Schools require schools to: The Australian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy (ASCIA) updated its anaphylaxis action plans in 2023 to reflect the availability of new adrenaline autoinjector devices, including Neffy (a nasal spray option) and Jext (a pen-style device). Schools should ensure their policies and staff training align with the most current ASCIA guidelines, not versions from a few years ago. Asthma Management: Policy, Equipment, and Staff Awareness DET also requires schools to have an asthma management policy and to ensure staff are trained in asthma first aid. This includes familiarity with the four-step Asthma First Aid procedure and access to a reliever inhaler and spacer for emergency use. It’s worth noting that asthma treatment guidelines have shifted in recent years. Asthma Australia and ASCIA now distinguish between different types of reliever inhalers — particularly the combination inhalers like budesonide-formoterol (Symbicort SMART), which are used differently from a standard Ventolin puffer. Schools whose staff training predates these updates may be working from outdated protocols. A refresher is well worth organising if it’s been a while. CPR and First Aid Training: The ARC Standard The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) recommends that CPR skills be refreshed annually, given how quickly confidence and technique deteriorate without practice. For designated first aid officers in schools, the appropriate qualification is typically: General staff who aren’t designated first aid officers may hold HLTAID011 Provide First Aid, but schools benefit from having their key first aid personnel trained to the education-specific standard. It’s more relevant, more practical, and more defensible if an incident ever requires review. First aid qualifications typically have a three-year currency, with CPR components needing annual renewal. Schools should audit their staff certificates regularly to ensure no-one is operating out of date. Record-Keeping and Administration Under both DET guidelines and OHS obligations, schools must keep records of first aid incidents — including the date, the nature of the incident, the response given, and the outcome. Good records help schools spot patterns, refine their policies, and demonstrate due diligence if an incident is later reviewed by WorkSafe Victoria, DET, or any other body. Schools should also maintain a register of staff first aid qualifications: the unit held, the registered training organisation (RTO) that issued it, and the expiry date. This is particularly important where multiple staff have roles that depend on current certification. When Did Your School Last Review Its First Aid Arrangements? Compliance isn’t a one-time task. It’s an ongoing responsibility — and one that’s easy to let drift when everything else is busy. If your school hasn’t reviewed its first aid arrangements recently, or if staff turnover has left gaps in coverage, it’s worth doing that audit now. Check the certificates, review the anaphylaxis and asthma policies against the latest ASCIA guidelines, confirm that your general-use adrenaline autoinjector is in date and accessible, and make sure the staff who need training are booked in. AB First Aid provides first aid training specifically designed for school and education settings, including HLTAID012 for staff working with children. Courses run from our Tullamarine training centre, and we can also arrange on-site sessions for larger school teams. Book your first aid training or view the course schedule and enrol — and make sure your school is genuinely covered, not just hoping it is. References

Working in childcare puts you in a unique position: you are responsible for some of the most vulnerable people around, and when something goes wrong, the next few minutes matter enormously. The problem is, a lot of what people “know” about first aid turns out to be outdated advice, well-meaning guesswork, or something they heard years ago that never quite added up. These myths do not just stick around in the general community — they show up in childcare settings too. Sometimes they are things staff genuinely believe. Sometimes they were even taught incorrectly in the past. Either way, acting on the wrong information in an emergency can make things significantly worse. Here is a look at some of the most common first aid myths in childcare — and what the evidence-based guidance from Australian authorities actually says. Myth 1 — Put Butter or Toothpaste on a Burn This one has been around for generations. A child touches a hot oven door or tips a cup of warm liquid, and someone reaches for the butter dish or the bathroom cabinet. The truth: do not do it. The Australian Resuscitation Council (ARC) guidelines are clear — cool running water is the correct treatment for burns, applied for a minimum of 20 minutes. Butter, toothpaste, aloe vera, or ice will either trap heat in the skin, cause infection, or damage tissue further. Twenty minutes feels like a long time when a child is distressed. But it is the correct response. Do not stop early. Do not apply anything else. Keep the water cool, not icy cold, and while you are doing that, call 000 for any burn to the face, hands, feet, genitals, or any burn larger than a 20-cent piece on a child. Myth 2 — Tilt the Head Back for a Choking Child The instinct to tilt a choking person’s head back is understandable — it is what many people picture when they think of opening an airway. But choking is not the same as an unconscious casualty needing airway management. For a conscious child who is choking, the Australian and New Zealand Resuscitation Council’s current guidelines recommend back blows and chest thrusts (or abdominal thrusts for children over 1 year old and adults). Tilting the head back does nothing to dislodge an obstruction. For infants under 12 months, the approach is different again — five back blows followed by five chest thrusts, checking the mouth after each cycle. Never perform blind finger sweeps in an infant’s mouth. Knowing the difference between infant, child, and adult choking management is exactly why up-to-date, hands-on first aid training matters so much in a childcare environment. Myth 3 — Someone Having a Seizure Needs Something Placed in Their Mouth The idea that a person having a seizure will “swallow their tongue” is one of the most persistent myths in first aid. It is not possible to swallow your own tongue, and trying to put anything in the mouth of a person having a seizure — including your fingers — can cause injury to them and to you. The correct approach, consistent with ARC guidelines and the guidance provided to childcare services, is to: Under ACECQA regulations, childcare services are required to have documented management policies for medical conditions. Having trained staff who know the correct response — not the wrong one — is part of meeting that standard. Myth 4 — A Child Having an Asthma Attack Just Needs to Calm Down Asthma attacks can be frightening to watch, and it is natural to want to keep a child calm. But telling them to “just breathe normally” or waiting to see if it passes is not appropriate first aid. Asthma Australia and the National Asthma Council Australia recommend following the child’s ASCIA Action Plan for Asthma if they have one, or defaulting to the standard 4-step asthma first aid protocol: It is worth noting that recent changes to Australian asthma guidelines have affected how some combination inhalers are used. Certain budesonide-formoterol inhalers can now be used as both a preventer and reliever, which is why knowing a child’s individual management plan matters, and why childcare staff should be across current, not outdated, protocols. Myth 5 — CPR Is Only for Catastrophic Emergencies Some childcare workers assume that CPR is something you only start after a catastrophic event — a drowning or a serious accident. In fact, cardiac arrest can follow any event that causes a child to become unresponsive and stop breathing normally. The trigger for starting CPR is not a confirmed cardiac arrest. It is a person who is unresponsive and not breathing normally. If a child is unconscious, not responding, and not breathing or only gasping, start CPR immediately and call 000. The ARC recommends performing 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths for all paediatric casualties, with modified technique for infants. Not performing CPR because you are “not sure” is one of the most consequential mistakes a bystander can make. Brain damage can begin within four to six minutes of cardiac arrest. This is part of why ACECQA requires services to maintain at least one educator who holds current first aid, anaphylaxis, and asthma management certifications at all times. It reflects a real and present risk in the childcare environment, not a bureaucratic formality. Myth 6 — Once Trained, You Do Not Need to Refresh First aid knowledge does not stay current on its own. Guidelines are updated, new equipment becomes standard, and skills practised only once tend to fade. The ARC and ACECQA both recognise this. Under the National Quality Framework, first aid certificates must be renewed within the timeframes set by the registered training organisation — and anaphylaxis and asthma management training must be updated every three years at minimum. Beyond the compliance requirement, think about what happens in a real emergency. Muscle memory, confidence, and the ability to act quickly under pressure are things that come from regular practice — not from a certificate you earned

Electrical work carries serious risks. According to Safe Work Australia, electrical incidents are among the leading causes of workplace fatalities and serious injuries in Australia’s construction and utilities sectors. For employers, contractors, and sole traders doing electrical work, understanding your first aid obligations under workplace health and safety law is not optional — it is a legal requirement. This post breaks down what the law actually requires, what it means in practice, and how to make sure your team is covered. What the Law Says Under the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 (WHS Act) and the Work Health and Safety Regulations 2011, all persons conducting a business or undertaking (PCBUs) must provide first aid equipment and trained first aiders appropriate to the work being carried out. Safe Work Australia’s First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice (2021) provides detailed guidance on how to meet these obligations. While the Code is not legally binding on its own, it represents an accepted way of complying with WHS duties. If your practices meet or exceed the Code, you will generally be considered compliant. Key requirements under the Code include: For electrical worksites, this means your risk assessment must account for the specific hazards involved — electrocution, arc flash burns, falls, and electrical shock injuries — and your first aid provisions must reflect those hazards. Low Voltage Rescue: A Separate Obligation Beyond standard first aid compliance, electricians in Australia face an additional training requirement: Low Voltage Rescue (LVR). Under national electrical licensing standards and Safe Work Australia guidance, workers who perform live low voltage electrical work must hold a current LVR qualification. In Victoria, this is recognised under Energy Safe Victoria requirements and is typically captured as a condition of an electrical worker’s licence. The relevant unit is UETDRRF004 – Perform rescue from a live low voltage panel, which covers: LVR must be renewed every 12 months. This requirement exists because hands-on CPR and rescue skills degrade rapidly without regular practice. A certificate that is two or three years old is not adequate — even if the holder has completed general first aid training more recently. How Many First Aiders Do You Need? The Safe Work Australia Code uses a tiered approach based on worksite size and risk level. For high risk workplaces — which electrical worksites are classified as — the requirements are: That means if you have a crew of 12 on site, you need at least 1 trained first aider present. For a crew of 30, you need at least 2. These are minimum requirements. The Code also expects you to consider the likelihood and severity of potential injuries, how quickly emergency services can reach the site, and whether shift arrangements could leave workers without access to a trained first aider at any time. Remote or regional electrical work — such as infrastructure projects well outside metropolitan areas — warrants additional consideration given extended emergency response times. In those situations, having a higher ratio of first aiders, or additional equipment such as a defibrillator, is strongly advisable. First Aid Kits for Electrical Worksites Standard first aid kits are not always sufficient for electrical work. WorkSafe Victoria and Safe Work Australia recommend that kits be stocked based on the specific hazards present at your worksite. For electrical worksites, this typically means including: Automated External Defibrillators are not legally required on all worksites, but Safe Work Australia notes that early defibrillation significantly increases survival rates from cardiac arrest. For worksites where electrical shock is a genuine risk, having an AED on hand is best practice and increasingly expected in the industry. What About Subcontractors and Labour Hire? A common area of confusion is how WHS obligations apply when subcontractors or labour hire workers are on site. Under the WHS Act, a PCBU can share duties with another PCBU. This means that both the head contractor and the subcontractor may have obligations to provide first aid — and both can be held responsible if those obligations are not met. As a practical matter, do not assume the principal contractor has first aid covered unless you have confirmed this in writing. If your crew is on a joint site, clarify who is responsible for first aid provisions before work begins. Keeping Records Compliance is not just about having a trained first aider on site — it is about being able to demonstrate that your training is current and your equipment is maintained. Keep records of: WorkSafe Victoria inspectors can request this information during a site inspection. Having organised records on hand is far easier than trying to reconstruct them after the fact. Stay Compliant With AB First Aid Whether you need LVR renewal, a full first aid certificate, or a training day for your whole crew, AB First Aid in Tullamarine offers practical, nationally recognised courses tailored to trades and construction industries. Training is hands-on, no-nonsense, and built for people who work in the real world — not a classroom lecture. Book your first aid training or view the course schedule and enrol at AB First Aid. References