FIRST AID Fist Aid in the Workplace People at work can

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FIRST AID
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Fist Aid in the Workplace

• People at work can suffer injuries or fall ill.
• It does not matter whether the injury or the
  illness is caused by the work they do or not.
• What is important is that they receive immediate
  attention and an ambulance is called in serious
  cases.
• The Health and safety ( First Aid ) regulations
  1981 requires employers to
• provide adequate first aid equipment and
  facilities appropriate to the type of work
  undertaken
• appoint a sufficient number of suitable and
  trained people to render first aid to employees
  injured or who become ill at work. ( First Aiders
  )
• Appoint a sufficient number of suitable people
  who, in the temporary absence of a first aider,
  will be capable of dealing with and injured or
  ill employee and of taking charge of first aid
  equipment and facilities.
• Inform employees of the first aid arrangements,
  including the location of equipment and
  personnel. This will require that notices be
  posted and signs displayed.

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Fist Aid in the Workplace

• What is adequate and appropriate to the type of
  work will depend on the circumstances in your
  workplace BUT
• There should always be a minimum provision on any
  work site and that provision is -
• A suitably stocked first aid box
• A trained first aider
• An appointed person to take charge of first aid
  arrangements.
• A first aider must have received training and
  hold a current first aid certificate issued by an
  organisation or employer approved by the Health
  and safety Executive.
• A first aider can undertake the duties of an
  appointed person.
• An appointed person is some one who has been
  authorised by management to take charge of a
  situation ,e.g. to call an ambulance if there is
  a serious illness or injury.
• They will act in the absence of the trained first
  aider or in situations where the first aider is
  not required.

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Equipment and facilities

• Location of first aid facilities
• It is essential that all employees should have
  quick and easy access to first aid facilities.
• Where employees are working in large numbers and
  in fairly close proximity, the facilities should
  be centralised in that area.
• Where employees are spread out, it would be
  necessary to distribute first aiders and
  emergency equipment accordingly.
• All employees must be aware of the location of
  first aid facilities and arrangements for
  providing treatment.
• To ensure employees know where the facilities are
  the facilities must be clearly marked with a
  white cross on a green background, in accordance
  with the Health and Safety ( Safety Signs and
  Signals ) Regs 1996

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First aid boxes

• Every employer must provide one or more first aid
  boxes.
• They should be strategically placed in easily
  accessible places and clearly marked .
• Apart from first aid boxes being marked, the
  position and location of supplementary equipment
  should also be marked with clear signs indicating
  what equipment is available.

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First aid boxes

• The first aid box should contain first aid
  equipment and nothing else, and it should be a
  strong container, which should protect the
  contents from dust and damp.
• Medicines, pressure bandages, dirty dressings and
  home made remedies must not be kept in the first
  aid box.
• Medicines, even those on general sale are not
  first aid items. The exclusion of these medicines
  from the first aid box will ensure that nothing
  will be given to an injured or ill person that
  will worsen their condition.

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Contents of first aid boxes
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General First Aid Guidance

• First aid is a skill requiring training and
  practice , you should not attempt to give more
  than basic first aid if you have not been
  trained.
• When giving first aid it is vital that you assess
  the situation and that you
• Take care not to become a casualty yourself while
  administering first aid.
• Send for help where necessary. DONT DELAY.

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Advice on treatment

• If the assistance of medical personnel is
  required, send for a doctor or send for an
  ambulance immediately.
• Where an ambulance is called, arrangements should
  be made for it to be directed to the whereabouts
  of the injured person.

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Priorities
1. Breathing
Check whether the casualty is conscious. If the
casualty has stopped breathing, resuscitation
must be started at once before any other
treatment is given and should be continued until
breathing is restored or medical or ambulance
personnel take over.
Place the casualty on their back. Tilt the head
back fully. Ensure airways are clear Pinch
nostril shut Take a deep breath and seal your
lips around the mouth of the casualty. Blow
firmly and gently into casualtys mouth. Lift
head and check the chest is rising and
falling. Repeat procedure until casualty begins
breathing normally
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Emergency Treatment for breathing
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2. Bleeding
If bleeding is more than minimal, control it by
direct pressure on a pad of sterilised dressing
or, if necessary, direct pressure with fingers or
thumb on bleeding point. Raising a limb if the
bleeding is sited there will reduce the flow of
blood ( unless the limb is fractured).
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3. Unconsciousness
Where the patient is unconscious, care must be
taken to keep the airway open.This may be done by
clearing the mouth and ensuring that the tongue
does not block the back of the throat. Where
possible the patient should be placed in the
recovery position.
Recovery position
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4. Broken bones

• Unless in a position which exposes the patient to
  further danger, do not attempt to move the
  patient with suspected broken bones or injured
  joints until the injured parts have been
  supported. The injured parts must be secured so
  that they cannot move.

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5. Burn and scalds

• Small burns and scalds should be treated by
  flushing the effected areas with plenty of clean,
  cool water before applying a sterilised dressing
  or clean towel. Where the burn is large or deep,
  simply apply a sterile dressing.
• Do not burst blisters or remove clothing sticking
  to the burn or scald.

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6. Chemical burns

• Certain chemicals can irritate or damage the
  skin. Chemical burns can be treated in the same
  way as burns.
• It is important to irrigate the burn area
  continuously even on the way to hospital.
• All contaminated clothing must be removed which
  is not stuck to the skin.
• Apply a sterile dressing to exposed area.

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7. Eye injuries

• Eye injuries are potentially dangerous. If the
  injury is a foreign body and the object cannot be
  removed with a clean piece of moist material,
  irrigate with clean ,cool water.
• Do not try to remove anything that is embedded in
  the eye
• All serious eye injuries must be sent to
  hospital. If chemicals are involved, the eye must
  be flushed with cool water or sterile fluid and
  covered with an eye pad

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8. Electric shock

• Make sure the current is switched off.
• If this is impossible, free the person, using
  heavy duty insulation gloves or something which
  is made of rubber or a piece of material which is
  a poor conductor. Be careful not to touch the
  patients skin before the current is switched off.
  
• If breathing fails or has stopped, start
  resuscitation and continue until normal breathing
  is restored.

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9. Gassing

• Move the patient to fresh air.
• If breathing has stopped, start resuscitation
  until breathing is restored .
• If the patient has to go to hospital make sure a
  note of the gas involved id sent with the patient.

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10. Hygiene

• Where possible wash your hands before treating
  wounds, burns or eye injuries.
• Take care, in any event not to contaminate the
  surfaces of the dressings.

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11. Record book

• ALL injuries must be recorded in the accident
  book.