OSHA Insights – Medical and First Aid

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration was established to ensure that workers in the U.S. were given the tools and training to stay safe on the job. OSHA provides specific guidelines for medical and first aid if an employee were to be injured on the job. What do you need to know about OSHA’s medical and first aid requirements to make sure your company remains compliant?

A Closer Look at OSHA Regulations on Medical and First Aid

  • Definition of First Aid. First aid is any medical attention administered immediately after an injury occurs at the location of the injury. It is generally made up of one-time or short term treatments which require little to no training or technology to provide. This includes things such as cleaning cuts and scrapes, treating a minor burn, putting on a bandage, over the counter medication, or drinking fluids to counter heat or dehydration.
  • First Aid Training. While anyone can perform these levels of first aid it is helpful for someone within the organization to be trained on providing immediate care to minor injuries. The location of the first aid kit should be known by everyone in the facility and it should be easy to access and kept consistently up to date.
  • OSHA Standards. OSHA recommends that employers offer training for first aid through organizations such as the American Red Cross, but it is not required. Also, while employees should be free to offer first aid they should not be penalized if they are unable to perform the proper care at the scene of the emergency. Any additional training is the prerogative of the employer or individuals.
  • Contacting Emergency Responders. In the case of a medical emergency everyone in the facility should feel they have the authority to contact 911 or EMS to respond to the scene. Depending on the severity of the injury the individual affected can determine if they need additional medical treatment. The only exception to this is if they have been injured on the job and if they expect to need to make a worker’s compensation claim on the injury.

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