OSH 1252

FIRST AID AND EMERGENCY PLANNING

CHAPTER 1:
FIRST AID AT THE
WORKPLACE
 LEARNING OUTCOMES
At the end of the topic, students should be able
to:
 Define the terms ‘first aid’ and ‘first aider’
 Identify the aims of first aid
 Describe the duties of first aider
 Describe 4 major components of workplace first aid
 Explain the correct communication skills while treat the
casualty
 Describe the principles of standard precautions
 DEFINITION

First Immediate treatment or care given to a

●

victim of an accident or sudden illness

before qualified health personnel
aid attend to provide treatment.

First A person who has successfully completed

●

a first-aid course and has been awarded

with a certificate of proficiency in first-aid
aider by nationally accredited institution
 AIMS OF FIRST AID

Preserve Prevent illness

or injury from
life becoming worse

Reduce Promote
pain recovery
 FIRST AID AT WORKPLACE
• First aid in the workplace includes the
provision of first-aid facilities, services and
personnel required for the initial treatment of
persons suffering from injury or illness at a
workplace.
First-aid facilities includes
• first-aid box
• first-aid room
• first-aid equipment, e.g. oxygen tanks and
stretchers

First-aid services means any procedure or method

associated with the provision of first-aid at the
workplace
 LEGAL PROVISION
An employer has a duty to provide information,
instruction, training and supervision about first aid
facilities and services for employees.

The Factories and Machinery Act 1967

Section 25 of the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 (Act
139) and Regulation 38 of the Factories and
Machinery (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations
1970 state the scope of responsibility of an occupier
with regards to first-aid provision.
The scope includes:
• providing and maintaining a first-aid box or
cupboard of such standard as may be prescribed and
ensuring the box is readily accessible at all times
• assigning the responsibility to upkeep a first-aid
box or cupboard to a responsible person, and for a
factory with more than 20 person employed,
specifying that the responsible person should be
proficient in first-aid treatment
• providing and maintaining a first-aid room in a
factory where more than 150 person are employed
 The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and
Health Act 1994 (Act 514) provides that every
employer and the self-employed person must
ensure, so far as is practicable, the safety, health
and welfare at work of all his employees.
 MAJOR COMPONENTS OF
WORKPLACE FIRST AID
First aid
First aider
box

First aid First aid

room equipment
 FIRST AIDER
When deciding on the number of first-aiders, first-
aid box, first-aid room and first-aid equipment for
the workplace, the following factors should be
considered:
• type of industry
• number of workers
• number of work shifts
• location of workplace and status of infrastructure
in relation to the nearest medical clinic or hospital
FIRST-AIDER
Provision of Information About First-Aiders
• An employer should display a notice, in a prominent place
in the work-site, of the names and locations of first-aiders.

Selection
An employer shall recruit or select suitable persons to go for
first-aid training.
• physically fit
• free from blood borne infectious diseases, e.g. Hepatitis B,
HIV/AIDS
• free to leave their work immediately to respond to an
emergency
Training
• Recognised Course
• The Need for Refresher Training
First-aiders need to undergo a recognized once
every three (3) years.
• Training Record
The employers should keep a record of the dates
on which first-aiders obtained their training and
the dates on which they received refresher
training.
RESPONSIBILITIES OF FIRST AIDER
Managemen Give immediate first-aid treatment
●

●
Arrange without delay for the injured worker(s) to be sent to a doctor,
hospital or home, according to the seriousness of this condition

t of casualty The first-aider’s responsibility ends when the casualties are handed over to
●

the care of health care personnel .

●
A record of the casualty and treatment given by
Maintenance of the first-aider should be made and this record shall
Treatment Record be kept by the employer for a period of 5 years.

Responsibilities for
Maintenance of First-Aid
Requirement – first aid
●
To update first aid box.
box
 FIRST AID BOX
 Design
made of sturdy material, portable & clearly marked

 Location
 placed in a clearly identifiable, well-illuminated and
accessible location
 where a workplace covers a large area, an adequate
number of first-aid boxes should be provided
 kept locked and the key kept by responsible person
available during all working hours
 employees should be informed of the location of all
first aid boxes
 Contents
• contain a sufficient quantity of suitable first-aid
materials
• should not contain oral medication of any kind
other than those required for first-aid treatment
 FIRST AID ROOM
A first-aid room should be provided where
there are more than 150 employees in the
workplace.

• should be large enough to hold a couch and

still have space for people to move about
• should have emergency lighting in the room
Location
• proximity to shower for cleaning or
decontamination purposes
• main passageways which are wide enough to
allow a stretcher or wheelchair through
• accessibility to work areas
• accessibility to car park, so as to facilitate
transfer of the injured person to an ambulance
 COMMUNICATION

• Communication and personal interaction with

the patient, bystanders, and co-workers is an
essential part of first aid. How the First Aider
communicates and interacts with the patient,
helpers, or medical aid may greatly determine
the effectiveness of first aid.
GOOD COMMUNICATION AND PERSONAL
INTERACTION SKILLS

Use language that the

patient can understand and
Use the patient’s name and
always speak clearly and
establish personal
Be calm and reassuring. slowly. Explain what you are
interaction by looking him or
going to do and reassure the
her straight in the eye.
patient as you carry out each
procedure.
 Providing there is no Use appropriate body language.
Avoid being coldly
immediate life- This includes good eye contact
and a non-threatening posture. detached or becoming
threatening condition,
A reassuring pat on the hand or angry or irritated with
allow enough time for shoulder will often go a long
the patient. Keep own
the patient to respond way to calm the anxious
patient. emotions under control.
to your questions.
 Communication With Patient

Getting permission to give care: People have the

legal right to accept or refuse emergency care.
Therefore, before giving care to an injured or ill
person, you must obtain the person’s permission.

• Expressed consent - conscious

• Implied consent - unconscious
 Communication with Patient
Talk to the patient frequently, Tell the patient if a required procedure may
be painful (e.g., traction) and explain why it
explaining procedures in advance is necessary. This can help eliminate
when the patient’s help or co- unpleasant surprises for the patient and
operation is required or reduce aggravation of existing injuries when
moving parts of the patient’s body where
movements are to be avoided. pain might be felt or resistance met.
 Communication with Helpers
• The scene of an accident is very stressful for helpers and bystanders.
A calm, reassuring, and positive attitude on the part of the First Aider
will help to relax helpers and gain their co-operation.
• The First Aider must give clear and concise directions to the helpers
regarding:

 Assisting in ongoing first aid procedures

 Controlling the scene (e.g., traffic control, equipment safety)
 Bringing required equipment
 Summoning medical aid (e.g., an ambulance)
Communication with Medical Aid

• The Attendant will be required to transfer the

patient to the next level of medical care. This
could be ambulance attendants or medical
staff in hospital emergency departments.
• The Attendant must provide patient information to this next level of
care.

 Description and time of the injury

 Mechanism of injury
 Patient’s chief complaint(s)
 Associated symptoms
 Initial patient vital signs
 Patient’s past medical history, medications, allergies
 Initial findings on physical examination
 Suspected diagnoses
 Treatment provided
 Last set of vital signs and time
 Last findings on physical examination and time
 Standard Precautions
A set of guidelines that assist first aiders to
protect themselves from accidental
exposure to transmittal disease during the
provision of first aid.

• Wear gloves whenever there is the potential for

contact with blood or other body fluids.
• Wash hands or other skin surfaces thoroughly
with soap and water if they are contaminated
with blood or other body fluids.
• Wash eyes with running water if they are splashed with
blood or body fluids.
• Avoid accidental injuries, e.g. cuts from broken glass.
• Encourage the casualty to treat themselves where
possible. E.g. the casualty may be able to apply direct
pressure to their own bleeding wound.
• Use Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) where
available, e.g. gloves, face shields, masks and goggles.
• Dispose of waste materials and sharps appropriately.
THANK YOU