First Aid For Funds

[sea-surgeon]

I was doing my First Aid at Work refresher last week and discovered that everybody else on the course was getting paid extra to be a First Aider. Does this happen in archaeology?

[Digger]

I think the silence answers your question

[SalonKitty]

At the last place I worked, I got ?5 per month for being a first aider. Recompense beyond the dreams of avarice, I think you'll agree.

[1man1desk]

My wife works in a university (not in an archaeology department). First-aiders there voluntarily take on quite onerous responsibilities, for which they get no recompense. I understand that a recent pay re-structuring exersise has resulted in the loss of much staff goodwill, as a result of which many of the first-aiders have said they are no longer willing to do it.

1man1desk

to let, fully furnished

[the invisible man]

Personally I would be very reluctant to take on such a role, given that we live in such a litiguous world.

I did once find that a previous employer (not in archaeology) had put my name on the firm's H&S policy as the first aid offcier, without providing any training, asking me or even telling me!

We owe the dead nothing but the truth.

[Mole]

We get ?8 per month for being a first aider, which is low compared to some of the building contractors that I work with (who get anything ranging from ?12 to ?50 per month). All our POs have to have done the 4 day 1st aid at work (although 1 hasn't as he faints at the sight of blood).

[mesolithic viking]

When you give it some thought being a firstaider is quite a responsibility it doesnt seem unreasonable to expect more pay for taking on the extra training and serious duties.

[destroyer]

quote:All our POs have to have done the 4 day 1st aid at work (although 1 hasn't as he faints at the sight of blood).

Either i know Mole, or i'm not the only one who passes out. I bailed out on day 3 of the first aid course - as I tend to faint when i have my blood pressure taken I had no chance really.

Therefore when I manage to slice myself up, which occurs on a fairly regular basis, I am always grateful for having someone on site with the sense of mind to catch me as i fall over and do whatever it is that first aiders do (i wouldnt know as i keep my eyes closed during the ensuing procedures). If they get paid extra then i wont complain as its well deserved.

Generally i would have thought, that while there is no fixed figure for extra pay, you'll find the first aiders are a point or two up the payscales.

[Digger]

I think that as long as someone pays for the course and your attendance,,
It's something that adds to your skills that you can plonk on your CV (not meant to sound harsh but the broader your skills base the better in this game). Plus you know that you can make a difference when someone seriously injures themselves. I don't think I've ever placed a monetary value on first aid while trying to hold bits of people together.

[Mole]

You are of course correct Digger, money dosen't really come into it if you have to help somebody. However, I do think that it is about the extra responsability. If you are asking anybody to take on extra training, keep that training up to date and respond effectively if something goes wrong then I do feel that this commitment should be recognised.

It is only relatively recently in my Unit has introduced the 1st Aid allowance, but this has ensured that every project has had a qualified first aider on site. Surely this can only be a good thing? While the money isn't much it is at least a tangable 'reward' for increased skills, which is more than you get for some other 'extra' skills that people routinely use on a project. That is not to say that I think that 1st Aid provision is an extra.