Health and safety

LifeVac airway clearance device

Message from St Helens Borough Council's Health and Safety Team 
(Published in the Education and Learning newsletter on 13th November 2025)

The Health and Safety Team have received a number of recent enquiries from schools who have purchased or are considering purchasing a LifeVac airway clearance device, to be used in conjunction with abdominal thrusts (chest thrusts for infants) or back blows by trained first aiders - when these methods fail or cannot be performed.

Please note, the anti-choking devices are not currently endorsed/supported by the Resuscitation Council UK (RCUK) due to insufficient research and evidence on their safety and effectiveness.  They neither encourage nor discourage their use, but stress that they should not replace standard first aid training, noting that the use of such devices could delay established treatments for choking if used prematurely See 1 below

The Medicines & Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) also warn of unsafe counterfeit or unbranded versions which are a serious safety risk, as they may fail to work or worsen choking incidents by pushing obstructions further down the airway.  They also emphasise the need for trained professionals to use these devices safely and effectively. (see 2 and 3 below)

It is therefore the opinion of the Health and Safety Team and Occupational Health Consultant Practitioner that first aid delivered by a trained member of staff should suffice, without the need for such a device (which there is insufficient evidence on to support its safe use at this time). Care needs to be taken that staff are not working outside of their scope of practice and using something they are not certified through approved training to use.  Similar to first aid, we would recommend that any training in this regard include a practical element and be delivered by a qualified trainer/assessor with knowledge and competence in first aid and use of the device. 

We would also expect a detailed risk assessment to be undertaken prior to its use in the workplace. 

Please contact Norma Sandland if you have any further queries on normasandland@sthelens.gov.uk.

• RCUK's position on the use of suction-based airway clearance devices on choking individuals
• MHRA warns of unsafe counterfeit anti-choking devices
• Device Safety Information - counterfeit Anti-Choking Devices.pdf

Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR)

When a RIDDOR referral is required

A RIDDOR referral must be made when a serious workplace accident, incident or dangerous occurrence happens that is legally required to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

This includes:

• A serious injury to a child or adult (for example fractures, amputations, serious head injuries or loss of consciousness)
• A fatality
• An accident resulting in a person being taken directly to hospital for treatment
• A dangerous occurrence, such as a significant equipment failure or incident that could have caused serious harm
• A work-related injury to an employee that results in them being unable to work for more than 7 consecutive days

RIDDOR reports must be submitted as soon as possible (within 10 days) after the incident. More information and reporting guidance is available on the HSE RIDDOR website. RIDDOR