The aims of first aid:

Unit 1

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide

"Adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work"

These regulations apply to all workplaces including those with fewer than give employees and to people who are self-employed

What is "adequate and appropriate" will depend on the circumstances in the workplace

Employers should take into consideration when making an assesment:

• The nature of their work and associated hazards and risks
• The number of floors in their workplace
• Work shift patterns and size of the workforce
• If they have any employees with specific health problems or disabilities

The Regulations don't place a legal duty on employers to make first aid provision for non-employees, such as the public or even children in schools

However, the Health and Safety Executive, strongly recommends that non-employees are included in an assessment of first aid needs and that provision is made for them

The law also requires that employers keep accurate and detailed records of any accidents and first aid intervention

RIDDOR - Stands for

Reporting Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1995

https://www.hse.gov.uk/riddor/

Employers must report:

• Fatalities or major injuries
• Any incident that requires an employee to be off work for more than 3 consecutive days
• Any injuries to members of the public when they're taken to hospital
• Any dangerous occurences
• Skin diseases

First aid is "the initial assistance or treatment given to a person who is injured or suddenly taken ill, before the arrival of qualified medical assistance"

## Preserve

• Preserve life
• Ensure area is safe for you, the casualty, and anyone else who is around
• carry out checks for maintaining casualty's airway (is it clear?)
• are they breathing?
• circulation

Prevent

• Prevent the casualty's condition from getting worse
• Assess their condition and prioritising treatment in order of breathing, bleeding, bones and other conditions
• Unless the situation makes it necessary, you shouldn't move the casualty - especially if you suspect a head, neck or back injury

Promote

• Promote recovery
• Calm and giving reassurance, making sure that emergency medical help is on its way

Expectations of a first aider

Unit 2 The Role and Responsibilites of a First Aider

Main attributes of a first aider

• Hold a valid certificate of competence in first aid
• Be prepared psychologically and emotionally, as well as being technically competent
• Understand their own abilities and limitations
• Know who and where the emergency services are and how to call them
• Know how to assess the situation quickly and calmly, including gathering accurate information on what has happened
• Be prepared to take control to protect themselves, the casualty and others from further danger
• Assist the casualty and provide treatment, with the help of those around, where necessary (prioritising multiple casualties, starting with those who have the most serious condition)
• Minimise the risk of infection to themselves, the casualty and others
• Stay with the casualty until help arrives
• Pass on relevant and accurate information to the emergency services or the person who takes responsibility for the casualty
• Know what first aid equipment is available, where it is located, how to use it, and ensure that it is well maintained and in date
• Understand the legal requirements of the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations (1981) and RIDDOR

Equipment & Infection

• All workplaces, whether big or small, high risk or low risk, should have a first aid kit
• It must comply with legal requirements and should be kept in a watertight green box with a white cross, and be stored in a dry place where it is easily accessible
• It should be regularly checked to make sure that its contents are adequate and in date

Medicines and creams/lotions shouldn't be in the kit

What should be in the kit includes

• A guidance leaflet
• 20 individually wrapped plasters of assorted sizes
• 2 sterile eye pads
• 6 individually wrapped and sterile triangular bandages
• 6 individually wrapped and sterile medium wound dressings
• 2 individually wrapped and sterile large wound dressings
• 2 roller bandages
• Blunt-ended scissors
• Tweezers
• 6 safety pins
• Alcohol-free wound cleansing wipes
• Non-allergenic adhesive tape
• Plastic face shield or mask
• A note pad and pencil

Where there is no fresh water, a litre of sterile eye wash

Some purpose-made sterile burn dressings

Replace things once they become used or if they become out of date

Minimising infection

When giving first aid, it's important to protect yourself and the casualty from infection as well as injury. You must take steps to avoid cross-infection

• Infection is a risk even with minor injuries, particularly when you're treating a wound, because blood-borne viruses (like hepatitis B or C, or HIV) can be transmitted through blood and bodily fluids
• The risk increases if an infected person's blood makes contact with your blood through a cut or graze you may have
• You must take particular care not to prick yourself with any needle found on or near a casualty, or cut yourself on glass
• If contact happens, or if you splash your eye with blood wash the area thoroughly and immediately seek medical help without delay

Entry routes include"

• Ingestion (breathing in)
• Swallowing
• Blood to blood contact

Always wash your hands before you touch a casualty, if you can or as soon as possible afterwards.

Concentrate on all parts of the hands - palms, wrists, fingers, thumbs and fingernails.

Use soap and hot water whenever possible, or rub your hands with antiseptic cleaning gel

Get in between your fingers by interlocking them and working the soap/gel between them

Rub your thumb in the palm of the other hand, then do the same with the other thumb

If glass has been involved in the incident:

• Clear it all from the scene or, if possible, move the casualty to a safer area
• Wear gloves but remember that sharp objects can easily penetrate the glove
• Check that bystanders have no cuts and get them away from the area so they don't get splashed by blood
• Clear up the scene so other's don't become contaminated

If a dirty wound is contaminated by soil:

• Don't attempt to remove any embedded objects - leave that to the medical professionals
• Clean soil from the wound to reduce the risk of tetanus infection
• Never sneeze over an open wound - infection can be spread by the droplets
• Always cover the casualty's mouth if they cough or sneeze to protect yourself and others
• If wearing gloves, don't cough or sneeze into them

If you have to give CPR rescue breaths and blood is present around the casualty