First Aid

What is RIDDOR and why is it important?

• AA type of PPE
• BThe Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013; it requires mandatory reporting of serious incidents to the HSE✓
• CA national safety training programme that construction workers must complete before they can be issued with a card allowing them to work on a UK site
• DA fire safety standard

Answer: RIDDOR requires employers to report to the HSE: deaths, serious injuries, work-related diseases, and specified dangerous occurrences. It improves safety oversight and identifies systemic hazards.

What should be in a construction site first aid kit?

• APlasters only, since anything more serious will be dealt with by the emergency services
• BEach worker is expected to bring their own first aid supplies onto the site with their tools
• CAntiseptic wipes only, kept in the site office where the supervisor can control their use
• DSterile dressings, bandages, gloves, eye pads, burn gel, and a resuscitation mask✓

Answer: HSWA 1974 and approved codes of practice specify first aid kit contents. A functional kit enables early intervention before emergency services arrive.

An accident occurs on a construction site in which a worker breaks a leg. This must be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR because:

• AThe worker was injured on site
• BThe employer has decided to report it, and reporting under the regulations is a matter of choice
• CAn accident occurred
• DA fracture (other than fingers, thumbs or toes) is a specified serious injury✓

Answer: RIDDOR Regulation 4 mandates reporting of fractures (except fingers/toes) and losses of consciousness. Not all accidents trigger reporting; specified injuries do.

For a specified injury such as the fracture in the previous scenario, how quickly must it be reported to the HSE under RIDDOR?

• AAs soon as possible, but in any event no later than 15 days after the accident
• BWithout delay, followed by a written report within 10 days✓
• CWithin 7 days
• DWithin one year

Answer: RIDDOR 2013 requires specified injuries (including fractures other than to a finger, thumb or toe) and deaths to be notified without delay, with a written report following within 10 days. The 15-day deadline applies only to a different category — over-7-day incapacitation injuries that are not themselves specified injuries.

A worker is unconscious following a head injury. What should be done?

• AAssume they will come round on their own and wait beside them until they do
• BImmediately call 999 and place them in the recovery position✓
• CCheck their pockets
• DLeave them lying flat on their back where they fell until they come round

Answer: Unconscious persons risk airway obstruction. The recovery position (on side, head tilted back) clears the airway. Emergency services must be called; natural recovery is unreliable.

What should be recorded after an accident on a construction site?

• AOnly the cost of injury
• BDate, time, location, involved persons, nature of injury, circumstances, witnesses, and immediate actions taken✓
• CA verbal account passed to the supervisor at the end of the shift is enough, with nothing written down for site records
• DOnly the worker's name

Answer: Comprehensive accident records support RIDDOR reporting, root cause analysis, and legal proceedings. Minimal details prevent proper investigation and trend identification.

If a worker has a work-related disease (e.g., dermatitis from exposure), must this be reported to the HSE?

• AOnly where the worker themselves asks the employer to send a report to the Health and Safety Executive about it
• BYes, under RIDDOR, if it is a notifiable disease and the worker is off work for more than seven days✓
• CNo; the reporting regulations cover injuries from accidents only, and never cover diseases caused by work
• DOnly where the disease eventually proves fatal, in which case it is the death itself that has to be reported

Answer: RIDDOR Regulation 6 requires reporting of notifiable occupational diseases (skin disease, asthma, silicosis, etc.) if work is absent for over 7 days. Disease reporting is as important as injury reporting.

A near-miss incident occurs (e.g., a tool falls but misses a worker). Should this be reported to the HSE?

• AOnly if reported by the HSE
• BNo; there was no injury
• CNot to the HSE, but to the employer and it should be recorded and investigated to prevent future incidents✓
• DYes; every near miss must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive immediately as a reportable dangerous occurrence

Answer: Near-misses are not RIDDOR reportable but must be investigated internally. They reveal control failures and prevent future injuries. RIDDOR applies only to actual injuries or diseases.

Who is responsible for investigating an accident that occurs on a construction site?

• AThe worker involved in the accident, who should write up what happened in their own words
• BThe employer and a competent person, to identify root causes and prevent recurrence✓
• CInvestigation is unnecessary after the injured person has been treated and sent home
• DThe emergency services who attended, as part of the report they file after the callout

Answer: HSWA 1974 places investigation duty on the employer. A competent person examines what happened, why, and implements preventive measures. Investigation prevents repeat incidents.

A construction site has first aid provision in place. What is the primary purpose of this provision?

• ATo replace emergency medical services
• BTo create a written record of every accident so that the company is protected if a claim for compensation is later made
• CTo provide immediate care and summon professional help, reducing injury severity pending ambulance arrival✓
• DTo diagnose occupational diseases

Answer: First aid stabilises the injured person, manages pain, and calls emergency services. It is not a medical diagnostic or legal service but a critical link in the emergency response chain.

Under the Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulations 1981, what is an 'appointed person' in construction first aid?

• AA person designated to be responsible for first aid arrangements (e.g., calling emergency services, maintaining equipment); this person may or may not hold a first aid certificate✓
• BThe nearest hospital staff member
• COnly someone with a full first aid certificate
• DThe Site Manager

Answer: An appointed person takes charge of first aid arrangements (emergency contact, equipment). They may lack first aid training but are responsible for the system. A person with certification is more capable but not required. Site Manager and hospitals are unrelated roles.

How should a construction worker with severe burns or scalds be treated immediately on site?

• ALeave the burn uncovered and exposed to the air so that it dries out and heals naturally, and send the worker back to the job once the initial pain has worn off a little, without seeking any medical advice
• BSpread butter, petroleum jelly or a burn ointment from the first aid kit over the whole of the burn to seal it from the air, then cover it and let the worker carry on with the rest of the shift
• CHold ice or a frozen gel pack directly against the burn for as long as the worker can stand it, so that the heat is drawn out of the tissue as quickly as it possibly can be after the injury
• DCool the burn under running water for 10–20 minutes to reduce temperature and pain, remove jewellery, cover with clean dressing, and seek medical advice even for burns that seem minor✓

Answer: Cooling under water reduces depth and pain. Butter/ointment traps heat and contaminates the wound. Direct ice causes further damage. Exposure risks infection. Medical advice is essential because burn depth isn't always visible.

What is the correct procedure if a construction worker is suspected of suffering electric shock on site?

• AEnsure the electrical source is isolated (switch off, unplug) before approaching; do not touch the person while they are in contact with electricity; then perform resuscitation if needed and call emergency services✓
• BApply firm pressure to the point where the current entered the body in order to limit the damage to the tissue underneath, then keep the worker sitting upright and watch them until they say they feel well enough to go back to their work
• CGive them water to drink
• DTake hold of the worker and pull them clear of the electrical source straight away, before anything is switched off, because getting them away from the equipment is the most urgent thing to do and every second counts while they are still in contact

Answer: Isolation must precede contact with the shocked person to prevent injury to the rescuer. Direct contact with a live person risks dual electrocution. Pressure, water, and moving them without isolation are unsafe.

How should a construction worker with a serious eye injury (e.g., chemical splash or embedded object) be managed on site?

• ARub the eye to remove debris
• BDo not remove embedded objects; irrigate chemical splashes with water or saline for at least 15 minutes if no object is present; cover the eye and seek medical help urgently✓
• CUse tweezers to remove small objects
• DApply local anaesthetic drops

Answer: Embedded objects must remain; removal can cause severe bleeding. Flushing addresses chemical exposure. Local anaesthetic is medical; tweezers cause secondary damage. Medical referral is always required for serious eye trauma.

What immediate steps should be taken if a construction worker becomes unconscious on site?

• ALeave them lying and watch for recovery
• BGive them food or drink
• CCheck responsiveness, open the airway, check breathing, place in recovery position (on their side), call emergency services, and monitor until help arrives✓
• DShake them vigorously to wake them

Answer: The recovery position prevents airway obstruction and aspiration if the person vomits. Responsiveness check and emergency call are essential. Shaking, food/drink with an unconscious person are dangerous; waiting is passive.

Under UK first aid regulations, what must be available at a construction site to treat minor injuries?

• AA first aid kit with appropriate dressings, gauze, tape, antiseptic, eye pads, and written information about first aid procedures; contents should match site hazards✓
• BOnly a telephone to call emergency services
• CA first aid kit is not legally required on a construction site, because the duty to provide first aid applies only to factories, offices and other permanent workplaces rather than temporary sites
• DThe contractor provides none of it, because each worker is responsible for bringing their own dressings and other first aid supplies onto the site along with their tools

Answer: The First Aid Regulations 1981 require first aid provisions, including a suitable kit and trained persons. The kit contents should be hazard-appropriate (e.g., additional burn dressings on hot works sites). Phone access and training complement the kit.

A construction worker is choking and cannot cough, speak or breathe. How should they be assisted?

• ALay the worker flat on their back on the ground and pat them gently between the shoulder blades until the object comes free, keeping them lying down until they are able to speak again
• BPut your fingers into the worker's mouth and sweep around the back of the throat to hook out whatever is blocking it, repeating this until the airway feels clear to the touch
• CIf coughing is ineffective, perform backblows between the shoulder blades followed by abdominal thrusts; repeat until the object is dislodged or emergency help arrives✓
• DEncourage them to cough forcefully

Answer: If the worker can still cough effectively, encourage coughing. Once coughing is ineffective — as here — give up to five back blows between the shoulder blades, then up to five abdominal thrusts, repeating until the obstruction clears or help arrives (UK Resuscitation Council). Never sweep blindly with your fingers, which can push the object deeper, and do not lay them flat.

What is the correct ratio of chest compressions to rescue breaths when resuscitating an adult construction worker?

• A30 compressions to 2 rescue breaths (or hands-only CPR with compressions only until emergency help arrives)✓
• BFifteen chest compressions followed by two rescue breaths, repeated until the ambulance crew take over from the person giving first aid
• COne hundred chest compressions followed by a single rescue breath, counted out at roughly one compression per second throughout the cycle
• DRescue breaths matter more than compressions, so the first aider should concentrate on giving breaths and only compress the chest if breathing does not restart

Answer: The 30:2 ratio is current UK Resuscitation Council guidance. Hands-only CPR (compressions without breaths) is effective and recommended if the rescuer is untrained. 15:2 and 100:1 are incorrect ratios.

Under UK law, when should a construction site first aid kit be checked and restocked?

• AOnly when someone reports a first aid issue
• BAfter each use and regularly (e.g., monthly) to ensure contents are complete and not expired; check after an incident to replenish used items✓
• COnce per year only
• DThe kit needs no maintenance at all

Answer: Regular inspection and restocking ensure the kit is ready for use. After-incident restocking prevents equipment shortages for subsequent emergencies. Annual-only and no-maintenance approaches leave gaps in availability.

What is the difference between a 'First Aider' and an 'Appointed Person' in UK construction first aid?

• AAn Appointed Person provides treatment; a First Aider manages arrangements
• BA First Aider holds a valid first aid certificate and can provide medical treatment; an Appointed Person takes responsibility for first aid arrangements and emergency procedures but may lack formal certification✓
• CThere is no difference in their legal duties
• DAn Appointed Person is simply a First Aider whose certificate has been allowed to lapse

Answer: First Aiders are trained and certified; Appointed Persons manage systems and may lack training. This distinction allows flexibility: small sites use Appointed Persons with emergency contact training, while large sites use certified First Aiders for advanced care.

How should a construction worker with a suspected spinal injury (e.g., from a fall from height) be managed before emergency services arrive?

• ACarry out a few gentle stretches of the neck and legs to work out how serious the injury is and whether the worker still has movement and feeling below the level of the suspected damage, then decide whether an ambulance is needed
• BMove them to a comfortable position
• CApply pressure to the suspected injury site
• DPrevent movement of the head, neck, and spine by supporting the head with hands or rolled cloths; keep the person warm and still; only move if there is immediate danger (e.g., fire); call emergency services immediately✓

Answer: Spinal immobilisation prevents secondary cord damage from movement. Moving, pressure, and stretching risk permanent paralysis. Emergency services have equipment for safe handling. Comfort is secondary to safety.