Module Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this module, you should be able to:

 Discuss workplace first aid.
 Identify an emergency incident.
 Describe incident management.
 Outline basic first aid techniques.
 Explain how to deal with minor injuries.

Introduction to First Aid at Work

The natural reaction to any workplace inquiry is to contact Emergency Services immediately.
But, wherever you are at your workplace, realistically there is going to be a significant delay until the
Medical Officials are onsite when an accident or inquiry occurs (unless it’s a hospital).

In 2007, the UK NHS (National Health Service) announced that their ambulances have an
average target time to reach the patient;

- Category 1 (Life-Threatening) = 7 minutes

- Category 2 (Emergency) = 18 minutes
- Category 3 (Urgent) = 120 minutes
- Category 4 (Non-Urgent) = 180 minutes

However, those are “targets” and average response times. In the real world, there are always going
to be circumstances that could delay treatment. Depending on the severity of the inquiry, knowledge of
First Aid can be invaluable importance to your colleagues.

As the name suggests, “First Aid” is the primary treatment given to an injured party before the
arrival of professional medical personnel.

The Aim of First Aid at Work

Depending on the severity of the injury, the application of First Aid at work can have many
benefits, and in severe cases, can even save a life.

Some people may be intimidated by the idea of influencing the health of a colleague or stranger.
But it’s not about becoming a trained Doctor or Nurse. It’s about providing assistance and comfort to
those in need.

Consider these potential simple benefits when applying First Aid at work on an injured colleague:

 Alleviates pain and anxiety

 Prevents further damage and infection to the body
 Stop significant blood loss and life-threatening wounds from getting worse
 Promotes recovery
 Gives emotional support and assurance to the patient
  Preserves life
 Teaches life skills and abilities that can be used outside of the workplace and maybe even with
members of your own family

Safe Practises at Work

We will learn about specific legislation and laws regarding First Aid in various workplaces
later in this course.
However, there are some immediate “Safe Practises” that should be applied and
followed at every premise with employees present.
At the bare minimum these should include:

 A First Aid box or Medical Kit being immediately available for use.
 At least one person in charge of contacting Medical Emergency Services during an
incident
 At least one person assigned as a trained First Aider to be present during work hours.
Of course, the size and number of these precautions should be appropriate for each workplace
and the risks on the premises. Ideally, some form of assessment should take place to confirm
the best options.

Understanding the Role of a First Aider

1. Importance of preventing cross infection: Protection from infection,

If you are giving first aid to an injured employee, it is obviously important that any risk
of infection is minimized.
This is not only for the patient’s well-being but also for the safety of the First Aider
themselves.
If you apply some common sense and prior thought before the treatment, both the First
Aider and Patient should be safe from any risk.
Recommended actions involve:

 Cover any cuts, grazes or wounds with a protective dressing

 Wear gloves when in direct contact with blood or any other kind of bodily fluids
  If possible, wear eye/face protection and a protective uniform (or apron) to prevent
fluids from getting into eyes or onto clothes
 Thoroughly was exposed skin before/after contact with the patient
 Use anti-bacterial gel if possible when cleaning yourself
 Although the risk is very low, be aware if a patient is subject to any kind of blood
infection before close contact and take appropriate measures.

2. Importance of preventing cross infection: Minimising the risk of cross-infection,

By using the precautions in the previous slide, you can minimize the risk to both you and
your patient from a serious infection.
However, the specific risk of cross-infection between a First Aider and Injured Employee
should also be considered. This too can be prevented by taking a few steps prior to (and during)
the treatment;

 Make sure your hands are covered and ideally use reliable latex-free disposable gloves
that completely seal the skin from contact with fluids. If gloves are not available for any
reason, locate a clean plastic bag and protect your hands with this.
 Use protective clothing and equipment to protect your nose, mouth, and eyes.
 Dispose of all waste and stained materials safely and do not expose others to it
 Never directly touch a wound or an exposed bone with bare hands. Try to limit direct
contact with dressings as well
 Never cough or sneeze in the vicinity of the patient. Do your best not to breath directly
onto them either

3. Importance of preventing cross infection: Thorough hand washing,

Due to the obvious importance of cleanliness and sanitary conditions, you should wash
your hands before and after you touch an injured person.
This may not be immediately possible during a serious incident or emergency. So for
your own protection, and for those around you, you must wash your hands afterwards as soon
as possible.
When washing your hands, you should pay special attention to every surface area and
possible “sheltered” skin position (Fingernails, thumbs, etc.)
It may seem patronizing, but we often clean our hands-on “autopilot” and not with due care
and attention. That can’t happen to a First-aider, and you should follow a routine:
a. Soak your hands in clean water. Put some soap (or cleaning agent) in the palm of your
hands and rub them together.
b. Rub your right palm vigorously against the back of your left hand. Repeat the procedure
but reverse the hands.
c. Interlock your fingers and lather vigorously
d. Rub the back of your left fingers against the palm of your right hand. Repeat but switch
the hands.
e. Wrap your left fingers around your right thumb and clean it thoroughly. Repeat again,
but reverse the hand and thumb.
f. Rub the very tips of your left fingers against your right palm. Repeat with the right
fingers and left palm.
g. Pat and dry your hands with a disposable towel/cloth/tissue

4. Importance of preventing cross infection: Using Protective Gloves,

As well as good hygiene, it is desirable that disposable gloves are used to protect the
First Aider and the Patient. It provides the best form of infection prevention in nearly all cases.

A trained First Aider should give consideration to carrying lightweight latex-free gloves
at all times or at least have instant access to some. The gloves should be disposable and never
used more than once.
“Please note that latex-free gloves are preferable, as some people have a serious allergic
reaction to latex.”

To don/remove the gloves, you should note the following points:

a. Always wash your hands before wearing them
b. Touch each gloves by the top only and pull it on without touching the palm area
c. When putting on the second glove, try not to touch the skin underneath
d. Put them on before touching the patient in any way
e. When the treatment is complete, take off the gloves by holding the top edge and peel
each one off without touching the main areas.
f. Peel them inside-out on removal. “Ball” them up. Dispose them safely (in clinical
disposal bag if possible)
Incident Management at Work
Topics to be Covered in this Module:

 Emergency First Aid at Work

 Roles and responsibilities of a worker when an incident occurs
 Dos and Don’ts in an emergency
 Questions to Ask Yourself
- What are the dangers?
- Is it Safe For You to Go Up to the Casualty
- What Has Caused the Accident or Situation
- What do You Think the Main Injuries Could Be?
- How to Make the Area Safe?
- How to Assess the Casualties?
 Fires
- The Elements of Fire
- Leaving a burning building
- Clothing on fire
- Smoke and fumes
 Electrical Incidents
- Caution
- Breaking contact with electricity
- High voltage current
- Low-voltage current
- Lightning
 Water Incidents
- Caution
- Rescuing a person from water

Emergency First Aid at Work

We have already briefly covered the different levels of the First-Aid tuition; FAW (First-
Aid at Work) and Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW).

EFAW differs somewhat from FAW, inasmuch as the skillset needed is expected to be for
a workplace that falls into a low-risk category. First-Aiders will be expected to deal with more
minor injuries and have a basic awareness of Emergency treatments.
EFAW broadly summaries as:

 Recording accidents, contacting Emergency services and preventing cross infections;

 Apply First-Aid to an Employee who may be choking, bleeding, or suffering from shock
adult casualty who is unconscious (including seizure)
 Apply resuscitation to an Employee who may be unconscious
 Give appropriate First-Aid treatment for minor injuries such as cuts, bruises, burns, and
scalds
 Act appropriately during an Emergency, and provide as much medical assistance as
deemed possible
Roles and Responsibilities of a Worker When an Incident Occurs
During an Emergency or accident, a worker trained in EFAW will be expected to play a
significant role in the proceedings, and manage the incident itself.
The main responsibilities will be to:
 Ensure the safety of those injured, any bystanders, and themselves
 Ensure or arrange the arrival of Emergency Services;
 Assess the situation and severity of the injuries or illness;
 Provide Medical assistance according to their training and knowledge, and according to
priorities;
 And, to make full record of the details regarding the incident and actions taken, which
should be handed over to Emergency Services when they arrive. Mandatory paperworks
should be completed
Dos and Don’ts in an Emergency
The best practice during an Emergency will depend upon the casualties, injuries, and
type of incident.
We will examine some types of specific Emergencies and their treatments in the
upcoming slides.
But there are some common sense “Dos” and “Don’ts” that all First-Aiders should be
aware of.

DO’s:
 Tell the casualty (and those in the vicinity) that you are a trained First-Aider
 Remain confident and calm and explain any activities or tasks that you are performing
 Gain the patient’s trust and try to alleviate their pain as much as possible
 Assess the severity of a patient’s condition and prioritize accordingly
 Maintain a good level of personal hygiene and keep yourself and those around you safe from
infection

DON’Ts:

 Don’t delay in calling 999/Emergency Service unless you are positive that they are not required
 Don’t move the injured party unless it is absolutely essential to do so
 Don’t forget to clear the area at the incident and ensure there is no risk to any personnel

Questions to Ask Yourself

1. What are the Dangers?

 An First-Aider has a moral obligation to protect himself from harm. Any First-Aid personnel
should immediately assess the situation in an Emergency.
 Look for any serious risk to personal safety (such as falling debris, hazardous materials, or
violent/unstable people). If there is a genuine risk to your well-being, then you are well within
your rights to remove yourself from the area and call for appropriate assistance.
 Only stay on the scene if you are satisfied that there is no personal risk involved. After all, no
one will wish for any further casualties if they are preventable.
Questions to Ask Yourself (cont.)
2. Is it Safe For You to Go Up to the Casualty?

 After the initial risk assessment at an Emergency scene and the confirmation that there are no
immediate dangers, a First-Aider should check whether they are able to fully approach the
Casualty or not.
 This will depend on the status of the environment (accessibility, people in the vicinity, etc.) and
the condition of the patient (distressed, in extreme pain, etc.)
 If the Casualty is fully conscious, try to obtain consent before you touch or approach them.
 Also, be fully aware of your surroundings, but only move the patient if it is absolutely vital to
their well-being

3. What has caused the Accident and Situation?

 If the cause of an accident is not immediately obvious, a First-Aider must determine if there is
any risk of a re-occurrence (falling debris, etc.) and react accordingly.
 If the danger has passed or been fully mitigated, then treatment can proceed as applicable.
 Even if the cause of an accident or illness cannot be categorically identified at the time, every
detail and event should be recorded (via an Accident Book or other documents) to aid future
investigations and treatments.

4. What do you think the Main injuries could be?

In some cases (such as burns and cuts), the severity and placement of an injury can be quickly
identified. But a First-Aider should never take things purely at “First-Sight.”

Always communicate directly with the patient if possible and get as much information as
possible. Also, take into consideration observations such as;

 Visually obvious clues such as bleeding, scratches, swellings, deformities of the body etc.
 Loss of sense or feeling in any part of the body.
 Audible problems with their breathing
 Ongoing pain or discomfort in a particular part of the body

5. How to Make the Area Safe?

Although the initial assessment from a First-Aider should determine any risk or danger at the
scene, they should also ensure that the area remains safe to themselves, the casualty, and everybody
else.

Therefore they should ensure that the area is as clear as possible and not susceptible to any
interruptions or further incidents. To that end the First-Aider should check on the normal use of the
area, and whether it would be appropriate to apply warning signs or borders, particularly from when
vehicles or bystanders may be involved.

If the area is believed to be unsafe, then (and only then) should the casualty be moved
somewhere else.

6. How to Assess the Casualties?

 If the patient is conscious, it is extremely important that you communicate with them as much
as possible and get feedback on their well-being. An existing heath condition (Diabetes, Asthma, etc.)
have an impact on their status and your assessment.

Also, check on the following aspects of the casualty:

Attention span – Do they become dizzy or periodically lose alertness?

Skin Color – Is it becoming pale or inflamed?

Response to stimulus – Are they responding to touch or treatment negatively?

Taking all those questions into consideration should allow any First-Aider to provide an accurate
assessment of an Emergency situation.
Fire First-Aid Management
Fires
The Elements of Fire

Fire needs three “ingredients” to start and to continue to burn;

 Ignition (existing flame or a spark)

 Fuel (wood, petrol, etc.)
 Oxygen (air)

To successfully extinguish a fire, one element of this “Triangle” must be taken out of the environment.
So the limiting access to flammable materials and/or access to oxygen is the most direct way of
combating an Emergency involving fire.

Leaving a Burning Building

Once a fire is confirmed as being active in a property, a fire alarm must be sounded as soon as
possible. You should always be aware of fire evacuation procedures as per regular drills and available
information, so try to aid with evacuation as much as possible, communicating with the assigned Fire
Marshalls. Ensure the fire is sealed and cannot spread in your wake.

The following guidelines should also be obeyed:

 Never go back into a burning building of ANY reason until given the “All Clear” signal by an
official or Fire Marshall
 Do not use lifts when evacuating
 Do not attempt to move anything that is aflame in the property
 Do not attempt to smother any flames with material that is not fire-retardant
 Never attempt to “Fire-fight” or put yourself at unnecessary risk
Clothing on Fire

If a person’s clothing catches fire, every moment can risk severe injury and burns to their body.
So any opportunity that exists to help them should be taken straight away.

Remember the popular safety mantra : “Stop” “Drop” and “Roll”

Perform the following actions immediately:

 Stop – Prevent the casualty from running and panicking and limit their movements. Their
movement will accelerate the progress of the flames.
 Drop – Push the casualty to the floor and cover them in a heavy fabric or material to smother
the flames.
 Roll – Roll the casualty along the ground until all flames are extinguished.

Treat the casualty as per normal First-Aid treatment as soon as possible, cooling the burns as
appropriate.

Smoke and Fumes

Any fire in a property will almost always create a highly dangerous environment, filled with toxic
smoke and fumes. Not only will this mean that Oxygen is in short supply, but the atmosphere may be
filled with poisonous Carbon Monoxide and gases. This is why it is essential evacuate a property as soon
as a fire takes hold.

If you are trapped within a burning building, take the following measures;

 Stay as low as possible. Smoke rises naturally and the air will be more breathable at ground
level.
 If possible, seal yourself in a room, blocking gaps in the door with heavy material or carpeting.
 Locate a window large enough to escape through, lowering yourself backwards and feet first if
it’s set high

Electrical Incidents
Caution

The main risk from accidental exposure to live electricity is obviously electrocution, where the
current has the potential to interrupt the body’s functions and cause organs to fail.

When treating a casualty or worker that has been apparently been the victim of an electrical incident;

 Do not move or touch the patient if they are still in possible contact with a source of electricity
 Do not approach the casualty with anything metallic
 Stay away from nearby wiring
 Ensure that all local power is turned off
 Check the breathing and responsiveness of the Casualty as soon as it is safe to do
 Also, check the casualty’s body for electrical burns

Breaking Contact With Electricity

A First-Aider should take the following actions to ensure that a Casualty is disconnected from
ant sources of Electricity.

 Visually check the Casualty for any obvious connections to an Electrical Source. You are at
danger of electrocution by merely touching a “live” Casualty
 Identify all local power sources, disconnect cabling, remove plugs, and turn off generators.
 If you can identify the source of the incident and can safely move it away from the Casualty and
yourself, then do so. Stand on something that will insulate you whilst doing so (a thick book or
plastic mat will do). You could also use a wooden pole or broom to move objects without risk.
 If it is not possible to action steps 2 or 3, use a rope to drag the casualty from the danger area
(without touching them directly).
 When there is definitely no contact between the patient and any kind of Electricity, treatment
and handover to Emergency Services can continue.

High Voltage Current

An incident involving contact with High Voltage sources will invariably involve outside power-
lines or heavy-duty electrical cables. If a person survives contact with High Voltages, they will have been
exposed to temperatures up to 5,000 degree Celsius (9,032 degree Fahrenheit). This will produce
extreme burns to the skin and body.

The shock can induce muscle spasms that will “throw” the victim a considerable distance. The
damaged electrical equipment may also “arc” currents up to 18m (20 yards) from the origin.

Therefore it is a priority that incidents of this sort allow for the source of the incident to be
disabled before approaching the casualty or allowing any bystanders into the area. Immediately check
the patient’s heartbeat and breathing when access is safe.

Low Voltage Current

https://alison.com/topic/learn/124494/incident-management-at-work#course-plan