First Aid Preparedness Toolbox Talk

First Aid Preparedness Safety Talk

It is a very good idea that people in the workplace have some basic knowledge about first aid care. You never know when an injury or an emergency is going to happen, whether it be with a coworker or someone else.

Everyone should be able to assist until emergency personnel can get to the scene or administer minor assistance to minor injuries. In this article, we will go over some of the basic steps and information that should be known for first aid administration.

What You Should Know

A lot of workplaces have designated people who are assigned to help during an injury or emergency. But that person may not always be right there when something happens. That is why it is important that everyone has some first aid awareness and basic information about what they can do until that person is there or emergency services arrive.

Know The Company Policy

Every company has a policy or procedure that is supposed to be followed when an emergency happens. There are certain steps that they want you to follow. There are also certain people who are supposed to be contacted. Every employee should be made aware of what the company's policies are so there isn’t any confusion in the midst of an emergency.

Know The Steps To Take

There are steps that you should follow when an emergency occurs. It is so easy to panic when an emergency happens and your mind goes blank. When you know the procedures and are familiar with what you are supposed to do it is easier to think clearly.

Know Where First Aid Kits And Supplies Are Located

A first aid kit or AED should be located in a central location, and labeled, so that everyone is aware of it. That way it can be quickly reached when something happens. When employees are not aware of where to go for supplies are only wasting time when an emergency happens.

Know Who To Contact

In an incident that needs medical attention, there is an individual within the company who should be contacted. Usually the manager, supervision, or boss is who you are told to contact. If it is a dire emergency and the person needs emergency attention, 911 should be dialed first.

Know Your Location

When you are contacting someone in the midst of an injury or emergency, they are going to ask your location. If you are not sure where that is, they don't know how to get to you. Everyone should know the physical address of the company and the location at which they are. It can ensure that help gets to you as quickly as possible.

How To Be Prepared For Emergencies

Employee meetings should be held to go over protocol for emergency situations. Everyone should know what they are supposed to do in case something happens. Even if you think you are not going to be the one who assists when something happens, you still need to have some basic knowledge of what to do.

You never know if you will be the only person around when something happens. Each employee should be given the task to think about what their role would be if an emergency situation occurred. Here are some of the points that should be considered:

• Know what hazards there are in your workplace

• Make yourself aware of injuries that can occur

• Ask for procedure policies for certain scenarios

• Educate yourself on emergency response information for your job

• Ask yourself what you would do in certain situations

• Know basic safety care

• Know basic injury care

When Injuries Occur

Depending on the job that you have, injuries can vary largely. Working a construction site or a warehouse job could involve heavy equipment injuries. These types of injuries can be minor or major, and knowing how you need to react is very important. In most scenarios, prompt attention is the best scenario for a good outcome.

When employees do not have proper training or knowledge of protocol for an emergency, it can turn into mass chaos. That isn’t good for the injured person or the people trying to help him. When people can calmly and collectively help the injured person, they have a better chance of being of actual help to them. Panic can cause you to waste time and not think clearly.

Basic First Aid

The main focus of knowing basic first aid is to be the person who is helping until the professional medical providers can get there. You are the person who is going to help them get things as under control as you can. That could be applying pressure to bleeding or starting CPR.

What You Will Find In A First Aid Kit

There are a variety of different first aid kits that you can get. They can range from small to large, and contain a few specific items or a big array. Whichever one that you have, there are some common things that are in just about all of them, such as:

• Antiseptic solution or wipes

• Antibiotic ointment

• Band-aids in a variety of sizes and shapes

• Sterile gauze pads in a variety of sizes

• Adhesive tape

• Elastic bandages

• First-aid manual

• Tweezers and/or scissors

• Cold packs for bumps and bruises

• Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Benadryl

• Gloves

Some More Elaborate One’s May Contain Extra Items Such As:

• Blanket

• Flashlight

• Batteries

• Protection for your mouth during CPR

• Calamine lotion or hydrocortisone cream

• Thermometer

• Splint

• Alcohol wipes

• Tourniquet

• Eye patches or protection

What Is An AED

Some places of work may have an AED machine available on the premises. It is becoming a more and more popular device to have. This is a great machine that can help in emergency situations. It is very self-explanatory and easy to use. People who do not have training on it can still use it, although training is advised.

It stands for Automated External Defibrillator. You attach electrodes to the patient and the machine will talk you through the process. Letting you know if they need to be shocked or not.