First Aid Dos and Donts

When an incident happens at work, promptly administering first aid can prevent the injury from becoming more severe. In some cases, it’s what allows an individual to pull through instead of losing their life on the job.

But even with widespread training, there are some first aid myths that persist. And some of those myths can result in worse outcomes.

Incidents are also high-stress situations. It can be difficult to think clearly and remember every step you should take when you’re tending to someone who’s been injured, exposed to toxic chemicals, or has succumbed to a medical condition.

With that in mind, let’s go over some first aid do’s and don’ts so you know exactly what to do when a coworker gets hurt on the job.

First Aid Do’s and Don’ts

Don’t hesitate to adminsiter CPR or use the AED.

Do give help right away.

CPR and defibrilators can be intimidating, especially if you’ve never been trained in either procedure. But you don’t need specialized training to do CPR or use the AED. It helps, of course, but the AED will walk you through the processs of using it. If you’re not sure how to administer CPR, call 911 and the operator can give you a step-by-step breakdown on how to do it.

Don’t move the injured person to a more comfortable location.

Do leave them where they are if you can.

Moving someone who has been hurt can cause them to further injure themselves. Carrying them or encouraging them to move might worsen a neck, leg, or back injury.

Wait for the parademics to arrive and assess them. They will be able to determine whether they can move – or carry them safely if needed.

The only exception is a situation where leaving the injured person on the spot will put them at greater risk. If they’re lying in the middle of a street, for instance, or are in an area with a hazardous atmosphere. In those cases, it’s prudent to move them to safety, even if there is still some risk in doing so.

Don’t administer fluids to someone who is unconscious.

Do wait for them to regain consciousness before encouraging them to drink.

If someone has fainted from severe dehydration or after overheating, making them drink might seem like the logical choice. But it’s far too risky. They’re more likely to choke than get any of the fluids down.

If they don’t regain consciousness, fluids should only be administered intravenously. And that’s something you should leave to the paramedics.

Don’t make someone put their head between their legs when they’re feeling faint.

Do encourage them to lie down if they’re able to.

We all have this mental image of a person feeling lightheaded and hanging their head down low. But that’s not something you should encourage.

Someone feeling faint or dizzy might lose their balance or lose consciousness. If their head is between their legs when that happens, they could fall forward and injure themselves.

To avoid a potentially serious head injury, get them to lie down instead if they can.

Don’t induce vomiting when someone has swallowed a harmful chemical or a toxic substance.

Do check the SDS and follow the right procedure.

It’s true that vomiting can expel a harmful chemical and limit how much of it gets absorbed in the system. But it only works for some substances. Depending on what the affected person has ingested, vomiting could actually make things worse.

Consult the SDS to find out whether you should induce vomiting, administer activated charcoal, or simply get them medical attention. If you can’t access the SDS or aren’t sure what to do, call Poison Control, tell them which substance has been ingested, and let them guide you through the next steps.

Don’t go for the first aid kit right away.

Do call 911 first.

When someone’s hurt, your instinct is to tend to them right away. Many people wait to call 911 until they’ve already administered first aid. But a quick response from paramedics is often more important than anything you can do while waiting.

Not only that, but the 911 operator will be able to walk you through the steps you should be taking while you wait for help to come.

So, dial 911 as soon as you can. Then grab the first aid kit and help your injured coworker while you’re providing all the details over the phone.