First aid When a medical emergency or injury occurs, knowing what to do and being able to react quickly is critical to limiting the severity of the incident. Proper first aid training provides individuals with the confidence and skills they need to address an emergency, prevent further injury, and a save a life. In extreme cases, equipping employees with first aid training could mean the difference between life and death.
Although all jurisdictions in the United States and Canada require workplaces to provide a first aid kit, a first aid attendant, and training, the requirements vary depending on the nature of the work, the number of employees on site, and the location of the worksite. All oil and gas work in is considered high hazard work and it's highly recommended that all employees working onsite receive first aid training. This guarantees that first aid is readily available and accessible at all times, regardless of which employees are on shift. If providing first aid training all employees is not possible, it's important to understand the requirements for the state or province you're operating in to ensure compliance with their standards.
Upon completion of a First Aid training course, an employee will receive both a First Aid certificate or a First Aid with CPR-C certificate. These certifications are valid for 3 years.
This course curriculum includes:
• Basic life support for adults, children and infants
• Small wound management
• Critical airway, breathing and circulation interventions with C-spine management
• Preparing to respond
• The EMS system
• Check, call, care
• First aid for respiratory and cardiac arrest
• Head and spine injuries
• Bone, muscle, and joint injuries
• Sudden medical emergencies
• Environmental emergencies
Having employees properly training in first aid is one component of a comprehensive First Aid Plan. A First Aid Plan sets out expectations and requirements regarding first aid services, equipment, supplies, records, communication, and transportation. Developing a First Aid Plan requires an assessment of the potential workplace hazards and the types of injuries and illnesses likely to occur. Consider information such as the number of workers, the type of work, and available medical treatment. When developing your First Aid Plan, you should always consider the worst-case scenario.
First aid In summary, your First Aid Plan should include:
• The number of first aid attendants needed to cover all areas and shifts, including names and contact details
• Specific training requirements for first aid attendants
• Specific requirements and management for first aid box and first aid room (if required)
• Emergency response procedures
• First-aid recording and reporting system
• Important contact numbers (e.g., 9-1-1, police, poison control, hospitals/clinics,)
It is the role of managers and supervisors to understand the First Aid Plan and their accountabilities, as well as making sure first aid information is provided to all employees.
Regular reviews are an important part of maintaining your First Aid Plan. Emergency drills and exercises can help you make sure that your plan will work if an emergency does occur, and first aid kits and facilities should be reviewed on a regular basis. If an incident requiring first aid does occur, this is an opportunity for you to evaluate the effectiveness of your first aid plan and make any necessary changes or improvements.
First aid kits come in different shapes, sizes and prices. They are available as pre-packaged kits designed for specific purposes, such as for the home, pets, auto, camping, boating, golfing, welding, landscaping, trucking, logging, burn care, bloodbourne pathogen, emergency response, industrial, ommercial and etc.
You can also elect to make your own, although this may work out to be more expensive and time consuming as each item is purchased individually. The important part of any first aid kit is that it suits you and your lifestyle or work place.
First Aid Kit Contents
Before deciding the contents of your first aid kit, list out all activities you commonly participate in. Do you go camping? Do you or any member of your family play contact sports? Are you on the road a lot? Is it for industrial use? How many people is the first aid kit for? It is very important that the first aid kit contents match up to your lifestyle or your workplace environment. Once you have a basic idea of where a first aid kit will come in handy, you can start planning the contents of your kit.
First aid Many first aid kits attempt to sell a kit comprised of a box of adhesive bandages and a few tablets. How many different type of injuries will this kit treat? Not very many! Don't be fooled by quantity of components, look for variety of components! The idea is to include components for real life emergencies, not what might let the kit sell for a few dollars less.
Any first aid kit should contain at least something from the following groups:
Antiseptics (something to kill germs to prevent infection), Injury treatment
(items to deal with injuries such as butterfly closures and cold compresses),
Bandages (a variety of bandages to dress and cover a variety of wounds),
Instruments (tweezers, barrier gloves), and Medicines.
For example, a basic first aid kits, or starter kits, should consist of the
following items:
· A first aid manual
· Tweezers
· Sharp scissors
· Splinter Remover
· Thermometer
· Safety Pins
· Elastic Gauze (conforming bandages)
· Sterile Gauze
· Adhesive bandages in assorted shapes and sizes
· Triangular bandage
· First aid tape
· Antiseptic Ointment
· Calamine Lotion
· Antiseptic Wipes
· Alcohol Wipes
· Cotton tipped applicators
· Aspirin and Ibuprofen Tablets
· Vinyl or latex gloves
· Resuscitation Face Shield
· Anti-Inflammatory Cream
· Sodium Chloride Solution
· Sterile eye pad
· Your prescription medications
What you keep the contents in is up to you. Nowadays, first aid kits come in plastic
case, metal case or durable soft-pack. The type you choose is dependent on the purpose
of the kit and where it will be stored.
First Aid Kit Supplies and Refills
Finding supplies and restocking your first aid kit is not always easy. Drug stores often carry a limited number of lines, and the prices on individual items is rather expensive. First aid kit supplies can be found online however, and the range is
enormous. You can build your kit to your hearts content, and there's plenty more items to choose from, usually at better pricing.
Buying first aid supplies online is especially useful for restocking industrial first aid kits. When you need to order in quantity, yet varying amounts of each item, online shopping is great. You can order select specific quantities of each product, and have them delivered right to the site.
For the home user, a drug store is probably best for topping up small easy to find items. If you do need to order harder to find products, or buy a few items at a time, online shopping may be an option
Where to buy First Aid Kits online
Online shopping has progressed a long way in recent years, especially with items that are normally difficult to find, or are overpriced in the stores. First aid kits are one of the items that the internet has done wonders for. There is a huge selection of first aid kits online, ranging from the most
comprehensive industrial and emergency first response kits, through to the lighter than light kids travel kits. This kind of range would never be available to the public so readily if it weren't for online shopping. Not only is there a huge range, but it's usually at prices below retail, and delivered direct to your door. Rather than putting off the notion of buying a
first aid kit, you now have little to no excuse, as they are only a few clicks away.
If you are ready to buy first aid kits online, Yahoo! maintains a directory of online stores offering first aid products, as does DMOZ. You can also try Googling or an online store like FirstAidKitCentre.com. If you are still a little skeptical of online shopping, try a local drug store, or perhaps a local red cross chapter.
Learn First Aid
First aid The other essential ingredient that should accompany all first aid kits are people who know how to use it. At a bare minimum, you should be familiar with basic first aid techniques.
Accidents, disasters, and emergencies, can happen anywhere; at work, home, or play. You may be the person thrust into the firing line when something happens, and you should be prepared. There may be a lengthy delay before medical response due to
location, adverse conditions, or lack of communications. At a time like this it is up to you to commence first aid or CPR, and your knowledge, or lack thereof, may effect the outcome. A first aid manual is also a handy addition, and can fill in
the blanks for those more obscure times.
If you have children, it is your role to protect them and aid them when needed. Techniques used on kids are different to those of adults, and you should take the time to learn more about this type of first aid.
Where to learn first aid?
The American Red Cross runs first aid, CPR, and external defibrillator courses designed for the home, workplace, and professional rescuers. Courses are offered throughout the country, and internationally through local red cross chapters.
There are also a great number of First Aid Manuals. Having a first aid manual on hand can be just as important as first aid supplies. It is difficult for us to remember what to do in each and every emergency situation, and unless you are using your first aid skills day in, day out, it's easy to forget
