First Aid Awareness - May be necessary to keep the victim alive ...

First Aid Awareness

 

First aid is emergency care given immediately to an injured person. The purpose of first aid is to minimize injury and future disability. first aid kit In serious cases, first aid may be necessary to keep the victim alive.

Remember the first aid equipment and training requirements in all Canadian jurisdictions depends on:

  • The number of employees;
  • The types of hazards present in the workplace; and
  • The travel distance to a hospital/availability of professional medical assistance

In addition, each jurisdiction will have specific requirements for reporting injuries (types, length of time to report to compensation board, details that need to be reported, etc.).

Suggestions for areas to include in a Tool box Talk for staff and family members about First Aid Awareness

Remind staff and family members that only those trained in first aid should assist a victim. Never give first aid treatment for which they are not trained.

As part of the talk, discuss how to respond during an injury or illness situation. In terms of first aid, they should know:

  • Location of first aid room and/or first aid kit/ equipment, list of first aid attendant’s information that list emergency contacts, (e.g., who to call for help, remain with the victim until first aid attendants arrive, etc ;
  • Location of a list of the organization's key personnel by name, title and telephone numbers that are prioritized by "call first, call second, etc."; and
  • Procedures to be followed when first aid is required (including what types of injuries should be reported).

Talk about some simple objectives when providing First Aid to an injured person until professional help arrives:

  • Make sure you and the victim are not in any danger;
  • Maintain individual breathing;
  • Maintain blood circulation;
  • Prevent continued loss of blood; and
  • Prevent or treat for shock.

A helpful tool is to download the First Aid app from Canadian Red Cross. In the event someone isn’t trained this app is designed to help learn, prepare and respond to various first aid emergencies.