Employer Responsibilities - First Aid

OSHA defines first aid as use of the following therapy and devices:

• Hot or cold therapy
• Eye patches
• Finger guards
• Butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips™ (Note that other wound closing devices such as sutures and staples are considered medical treatment.)
• Any "non-rigid means of support," such as elastic bandages, wraps, or non-rigid back belts (Note: Devices with rigid stays to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for record-keeping purposes.)
• Temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (for example, splints, slings, neck collars, back boards)
• Non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength. This applies to medications available in both prescription and non-prescription form. (Note that a recommendation by a physician/other licensed healthcare professional for a non-prescription medication at prescription strength is considered medical treatment for record-keeping purposes.)
• Wound coverings like bandages, Band-Aids™, or gauze pads
• Massages (Note that physical therapy or chiropractic treatment are considered medical treatment for record-keeping purposes.)

First aid also includes the following activities:

• Drilling a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure, or draining fluid from a blister
• Administering tetanus immunizations (Note that other immunizations, such as Hepatitis B vaccine or rabies vaccine, are considered medical treatment.)
• Cleaning, flushing, or soaking surface skin wounds
• Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab
• Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation tweezers, cotton swabs, or other simple means
• Drinking fluids to relieve heat stress

To learn more about HAZWOPER visit our HAZWOPER 40 Hour Online Training web page.