Having someone at a worksite who can deliver first aid to an injured employee quickly and effectively can mean the difference between life and death, said Bree Husted, environmental health and safety assistant at Fuller Industries Inc.
“It is our mission here that employees be given a safe and healthy workplace that is reasonably free of occupational hazards,” she said Wednesday morning while presenting the annual first aid training to company personnel in the cafeteria. “However, it is unrealistic to expect accidents not to happen.”
While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration doesn’t have a specific rule requiring annual first aid training, it does mandate that employers provide adequate training for employees to be prepared for emergencies, she said. “Regular refresher training helps ensure employees maintain their knowledge and skills, especially for life-threatening situations.”
First aid refers to medical attention that is usually administered immediately after an injury occurs and at the location where it occurred, she said. It often consists of a one-time, short-term treatment and requires little technology or training to administer.
Topics covered included dealing with situations such as a non-breathing victim, choking, burns, broken bones and shock. Attendees learned the importance of responding in the critical first few minutes, the limitations of helping an injured person on site and the need to contact emergency medical personnel as quickly as possible.
“It is very important for one to get immediate treatment for every injury, regardless of how small they may think it is,” Husted said. Many cases have been reported where a small, unimportant injury, such as a splinter wound or a puncture wound, quickly led to an infection, threatening the health and limb of the employee.
“The details of a workplace medical and first aid program depend on the circumstances of each workplace and employer,” she said. Fuller provides medical and first aid personnel and supplies commensurate with the hazards employees may encounter.
“First aid is just the first line of defense,” she said. But she stressed that, should the incident be serious enough, 911 should be called and emergency medical responders should be summoned.
