First Aid

What is the primary aim of first aid?

• ATo deal with the injury on site so that the emergency services do not have to be called out at all
• BTo diagnose the injury, treat it fully and return the person to work
• CTo record the injury accurately for the accident book
• DTo preserve life, prevent deterioration, and promote recovery until professional help arrives✓

Answer: First aid aims to: preserve life (especially by maintaining breathing and circulation), prevent worsening of condition, and promote recovery until emergency medical help arrives.

What should you do if someone is unresponsive and not breathing?

• ABegin CPR - 30 chest compressions followed by 2 rescue breaths, continue until help arrives✓
• BPut them into the recovery position and wait for the ambulance without starting chest compressions
• CGive them water and sit them upright in a chair nearby
• DPlace them in the recovery position, keep them warm and wait for the ambulance

Answer: CPR protocol: check responsiveness and breathing; if absent, begin CPR with 30 chest compressions (centre of chest, 2 inches deep) followed by 2 rescue breaths, repeating.

What is the recovery position?

• AFlat on the back with the head raised on a folded jacket and the legs kept straight out
• BFace down with the head turned to one side
• COn side, head tilted back, airway open - preserves breathing in unconscious persons✓
• DSitting upright, with the head supported and the legs raised

Answer: Recovery position: place unconscious breathing person on their side, tilt head back (airway open), bend top leg for stability. This keeps airway clear and prevents choking.

What should be done for severe bleeding?

• ARinse the wound with cold water, then bandage it loosely and monitor
• BApply direct pressure with clean material, elevate limb, apply tourniquet if necessary✓
• CPut a loose bandage over the wound and let the blood soak into it rather than pressing down
• DApply a tourniquet immediately for any bleeding wound

Answer: For severe bleeding: apply direct pressure with clean/sterile material for at least 10 minutes, elevate the limb above heart level if possible, apply a tourniquet above the wound if bleeding doesn't stop.

How should a burn be treated?

• AApply butter, oil or a greasy cream straight away to keep the air off the burn
• BApply ice directly onto the burn and hold it in place until the pain has eased
• CCool with running water for 10-20 minutes, cover loosely, seek medical help✓
• DCover with a dry dressing without cooling the burn first

Answer: Burn treatment: cool immediately with cool running water for 10-20 minutes (reduces damage), cover loosely with clean cloth, remove restrictive jewellery/clothing, seek medical help.

What is 'shock' as a medical condition?

• AA sudden drop in blood sugar that is corrected by eating
• BThe emotional shock a person feels after seeing a bad accident on site
• CFeeling faint for a moment and then recovering without any treatment at all
• DLife-threatening condition where organs don't get enough blood/oxygen✓

Answer: Medical shock occurs when the body's circulation fails to deliver adequate oxygen. Signs include: pale, cold, clammy skin, fast pulse, nausea. Lay person flat with legs elevated.

What should be done if someone is choking?

• AEncourage coughing; if severe, deliver back blows and abdominal thrusts until object dislodges✓
• BLet them cough it out and take no further action even if they stop being able to breathe
• CBegin chest compressions at once, while the casualty is still conscious
• DSit them down and give rescue breaths until they can speak again

Answer: Choking treatment: encourage coughing if able to cough/speak; if unable, deliver 5 back blows between shoulder blades, then 5 abdominal thrusts; repeat until object clears.

What is an 'open fracture'?

• AA broken bone with an open wound where bone may pierce the skin✓
• BA minor injury that is not serious and needs no medical attention
• CA break in the bone that heals easily on its own without treatment
• DJust a deep bruise over the bone, with no actual break in the skin

Answer: An open (compound) fracture has a break in the skin, exposing bone. Risk includes infection and severe bleeding. Requires immediate medical attention and sterile dressing.

How should an electrical shock victim be treated?

• ASwitch off supply, check responsiveness, provide CPR if needed, call emergency services✓
• BWait for the supply to be isolated by a qualified electrician
• CPull them away from the conductor with your bare hands as quickly as you possibly can manage
• DGive them water, sit them down and let them rest before continuing work

Answer: Electrical shock first aid: safely isolate from electrical source (switch off, use non-conducting material), check consciousness/breathing, provide CPR if needed, call 999.

What should be included in a first aid kit?

• AA fire blanket, extinguisher and smoke hood kept inside the first aid box
• BPlasters, sterile dressings, eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins and disposable gloves✓
• CSpare ear defenders, safety glasses and hard hats
• DCleaning materials such as bleach, disinfectant spray and paper towels

Answer: HSE's suggested minimum for a low-risk workplace is a first aid guidance leaflet, individually wrapped sterile plasters, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, large and medium sterile unmedicated wound dressings and disposable gloves, adjusted to the first aid needs assessment. HSE recommends that tablets and medicines, including painkillers, are not kept in the first aid box, and the box should hold only items useful for giving first aid.

What is the purpose of an Automated External Defibrillator (AED)?

• ATo deliver electrical shock to restore normal heart rhythm in cardiac arrest✓
• BTo detect whether the casualty still has a heartbeat, and to do nothing further
• CTo deliver oxygen to a casualty who has stopped breathing
• DTo prevent every kind of cardiac event from happening to a worker on the site

Answer: An AED delivers a controlled electrical shock to correct dangerous heart rhythms (ventricular fibrillation). Used with CPR, it significantly improves survival rates.

What should be the response to an eye injury from chemical splash?

• ARub the eye, then cover it with a dry dressing and seek help
• BRinse eyes continuously with water for at least 15-20 minutes, seek medical help✓
• CClose the affected eye and keep it shut until the stinging has settled down by itself
• DApply an eye ointment from the first aid kit and cover the eye with a pad until it stops hurting

Answer: Chemical eye injury: flush immediately with running water for at least 15-20 minutes (wash out chemical), hold eyelids open, continue flushing, seek emergency medical help.

What does the 'DRABC' primary survey stand for in first aid?

• ADanger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation✓
• BIt is only ever used on training courses and never at a real incident on site
• CDanger, Rescue, Assess, Bleeding, Compressions
• DJust a set of random letters with no agreed meaning in first aid training

Answer: DRABC is the primary survey taught on UK first aid courses: check for Danger, check for a Response, open the Airway, check Breathing, then deal with Circulation, such as calling 999, starting CPR or controlling severe bleeding.

How should an unconscious person be positioned if they're still breathing?

• AFace down on the floor with the head turned to one side
• BRecovery position - on side with head tilted back✓
• CFlat on their back with the legs raised on a support
• DSitting upright in a chair with the head tipped forward

Answer: Place unconscious breathing person in recovery position (side, head back, airway open) to prevent airway obstruction and allow fluids to drain from mouth.

What workplace equipment is essential for first aid in electrical environments?

• AFirst aid kit, AED, and trained first aiders, plus emergency procedures for electrical injuries✓
• BJust a phone
• CA standard first aid kit only, since an electrical injury is treated in exactly the same way as any other
• DWhatever is already on site

Answer: Electrical workplaces need: comprehensive first aid kit, AED (for cardiac arrest from shock), trained first aiders (especially CPR), emergency procedures, and eye wash stations.