The main requirement of these standards is that an employer must provide prompt first aid to injured employees, either by providing for the availability of a trained first aid attendant in the workplace or by ensuring that emergency treatment services are reasonably close to the workplace. The fundamental objective of these standards is to ensure that appropriate first aid is provided within the critical minutes between the occurrence of an injury and the availability of medical or hospital care for the injured employee. One of the ways these standards provide employers with is to ensure that a member of the workforce has been trained in first aid. This option is a viable and cost-effective way for most employers to protect workers and clearly bring the employer into compliance. OSHA recommends, but does not require, that every workplace include one or more personnel trained and certified in first aid, including CPR. The other option for employers is to rely on appropriate proximity to an infirmary, clinic or hospital. OSHA has consistently held that the reasonable availability of a trained emergency service provider, such as firefighters or paramedics, would correspond to the “infirmary, clinic, or hospital” specified in the literal wording of the standards. Emergency services can be provided on-site or by evacuating the employee to an external facility if safely possible. However, the requirements that emergency services be “reasonably accessible” or “in close proximity to the workplace” are formulated only in general terms. An employer considering the assistance of external emergency responders as an alternative to providing a trained employee in first aid must consider a number of factors. The employer must take appropriate measures prior to an accident (e.g., agreements with the health care provider) to ensure that emergency medical assistance is available immediately in the event of an injury. Although the standards do not prescribe a number of minutes, OSHA has long interpreted the term “proximity to proximity” to mean that emergency care must be available within 3-4 minutes of the workplace, an interpretation that has been upheld by the Occupational Safety and Health Review Board and federal courts.
Medical literature states that in the event of serious injuries such as respiratory arrest, cardiac arrest or uncontrolled bleeding, first aid should be performed within the first few minutes to avoid permanent medical impairment or death. Therefore, in workplaces where serious accidents such as falls, suffocation, electric shock or amputation are possible, the rescue service must be available within 3-4 minutes if there is no employee on site trained in first aid. OSHA exercises its discretion in applying first aid requirements in certain cases. OSHA recognizes that a slightly longer response time of up to 15 minutes may be appropriate in workplaces such as offices, where the possibility of such serious work-related injuries is lower. The first aid training standards set out in 29 CFR 1910.151 and 1926.50(c) generally apply to all industries they cover. Other standards that apply to specific hazards or industries make first aid training mandatory for employees, and the use of external emergency responders is not a viable alternative. See, for example, 29 CFR 1910. 266(i)(7) (mandatory first aid training for loggers) and 29 CFR 1910.269(b) (requires persons trained in first aid in electrical industry workplaces).
The standard for bloodborne pathogens in 29 CFR 1910.1030(g)(2) requires employers to train all employees who are occupationally exposed to blood or other potentially infectious material, such as employees assigned to medical or first aid duties by their employers. 29 CFR 1910.1030(b) defines “occupational exposure” as “reasonably expected contact of the skin, eyes, mucous membranes or parenteral with blood or other potentially infectious material that may result from the performance of an employee`s duties.” If a worker has received first aid training and has been designated by the employer as responsible for providing medical care as part of their job duties, they are subject to the Blood-borne Pathogen Standard. You can find these standards on the OSHA website, www.osha.gov by following the link to “Standards” and searching for “first aid,” “bloodborne pathogens,” “logging,” etc. Since you serve customers in Virginia, we must also refer you to the standards of the Virginia Department of Labor and Industry (DOLI), which maintains an OSHA-approved occupational safety and health plan. Virginia`s general industry and construction first aid standards are the same as those of the federal OSHA. However, Virginia can interpret its first aid standards more strictly than federal OSHA can interpret its standards. Therefore, we recommend that you also contact this agency. You can contact the DOLI of Virginia at the following address: Class A is recommended for common workplace injuries such as minor cuts, abrasions and sprains. Typical industries are an office, warehouse, light assembly or packaging. 3. Make sure you have the proper first aid supplies at all times. Click here to see the latest ANSI standards To get started, let`s look at the top five areas of first aid with some examples.
OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, describes the required contents of the first aid kit. A small business with three employees should keep at least one or two of each item in the first aid kit. The company must increase the number of additional employees to ensure adequate supply. The additional metering requirement is not listed in the general industry guidelines. However, an OSHA representative will provide the necessary counting information required for each specific company. Providing first aid and CPR training is just one step in developing a first aid program for your workplace.
