Posted By Fred Pratley We are a manufacturing company - average age 40+, and I am being asked if it is OK for 1st aiders to undertake "simple" treatments i.e. apply deep heat/Ralgex/Ibuleve gel or give out support bandage etc. (Been overdoing it in the garden at the weekend etc) I appreciate that the 1st aider has to be willing to lay hands on the masses etc, and they would need to have accurate records of what they did to who, so that we don't miss the early signs of a possible RSI. However, what do others expect of their 1st aiders? Thanks Fred

Posted By Salus Hi Fred I would not expect any of our first aiders to apply the treatment you mention. They do, manage any incident / carry out resuscitation / treat any symptoms of unconsciousness / control bleeding / treatment of any shock / treat burns,scalds,fractures,cuts, eye injuries and keep records. As you are concerned about RSI or upper limb disorders, identify the tasks where it might occur and reduce by changing times / or work procedures. Look at HSE guidnance INDG171 may well have been revised

Posted By tulsa Mclain Iam a first aid intructor with one of the vol org I teach public first aid Assess for FAW, and I also teach Resus support and de fib trained . You can only do what you have been trained to do in line with the FAW . First Aiders should not go beyonded this. Tulsa Mclain Fi

Posted By Patrick Burns CMIOSH - SpDipEM - MIQA It is First Aid at Work and therefore refers to treatment as a result of injury at work. Anything out with I would discuss with employee to ensure it will not affect their current task and if it does or they are in some sort of pain get them to arrange to see their GP or A&E if deemed appropriate.

Posted By Chris Cooper-Abbs The following is an extract of a letter from the HSE, london to the administrative officer - training, british red cross society. As you know, the contents of first aid boxes required under the health and safety (first aid) regualtions 1981, should not include medications of any description, and the training of a first aider does not include the dispensing of medication. ( I would suggest the products you mention in your post ciould be classified within the text above) Our firm advice, therefore, is that first aiders working without medically qualified supervision should not dispense medication of any description, and that employers would be very ill-advised to authorise them to do so. Should any injury arise as a result of the actions of the first aider, the ordinary civil law of negligence would apply, The general view is that if a first aider appinted under the 1981 regualtions, acts in the course of his employment in administering first aid then his employer could, therefore, be held vicariously liable for any such negligence. Where first aiders work under the supervision of a doctor or qualified occupational health nurse, it would be for the doctor or nurse in charge to decide whether they were prepared to take responsibility for, and train their first aiders in, the dispensing of non prescription medication.

Posted By Brett Day Am ex RAF Search & Rescue, we did air ambulance duties and having been called out where a First Aider has made the situation worse by giving medication to a casualty am whole heartedly in agreement with Dave. Would also second Chris' comments and extract, was quite worried when I attended my first 'civilian' FAW course (run by a VERY well known organisation) who gave a list of medications to keep in a first aid kit!! Have since had refreshers run by Essex Ambulance Service who make it quite clear, NO medications, NO (surgical) procedures and NO Physio type treatments.

Posted By Frank Hallett Hi Fred Whilst I will not disgree with anything that has been said earlier; I do wish to draw your attention to the need [as identified in the FaW Regs] for employers to consider whether the standard 4 Day FaW course is sufficient for their needs in the workplace. Consequently, there is an explicit requirement placed upon the employer to provide additional training in topic ares that are sen as necessary but not covered by the standard - very basic - FaW course. Have a good day! Frank Hallett

Posted By Merv Newman With our plating plant, gold cyanide and tin/lead plating, we trained ALL operaters on first aid treatment of cyanide absorbtion. It was a good way of getting them serious about avoiding contact. And the treatments were in break-glass boxes. Never used one of them Merv (back to the hammock) Newman I remember having to calculate maximum release if we mixed all of the cyanide with all of the sulphuric acid. How would it affect the old peoples home 100 metres from the site ? Try it yourselves. 500 litres of AuHcn at 25% and 500 litres of H2So4 at 98%. 100 metres to the nearest window down wind. Emergency evacuation or just keep the windows shut ? (hint ; you have to look at the toxicity of HCN taking into account the fragility of pensionners) And dynamic dispersion models. Yo ! No worries Merv