Medical and first aid facilities

At both a corporate and at a location level, medical and first aid facilities are superior where a sense of responsibility to employees permeates the culture. 

Provide medical and emergency response systems and first aid facilities adequate for the size and hazards at the worksite... 

Identify the location of on-site fire service (if applicable) and emergency medical or first-aid facilities... 

Since many chemical plants have severe health hazards, it is essential to provide medical facilities and first aid stations. In addition, showers and eye wash stations are necessary in certain hazardous areas. Also, guards and covers should be provided for all moving equipment. Ten of the key protective equipment are listed below. 

OSHA s 29 CFR 1910.151 (a), (b), and (c). Medical Services and First Aid Standard, requires employers to (1) ensure the ready availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of health (2) in the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid and adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available and (3) where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching of or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. 

Every attempt should be made to incorporate facilities for health and safety protection of plant personnel in the original design. This includes, but is not limited to, protected walkways, platforms, stairs, and work areas. Physical hazards, if unavoidable, must be clearly defined. In such areas, means for egress must be unmistakable. All machinery must be guarded with protective devices4 In all cases, medical services and first-aid must be readily available for all workers. 

Antidotes and immediate medical treatment recommended shall be known. First-aid facilities shall be available in or near the control room. All personnel shall be trained in first aid, and mock drills shall be carried out once a month). 

Medical Services and First Aid 29 CFR 1910.151 Provision of medical services, first aid equipment, and facilities for quick drenching and flushing of eyes ... 

First aid is defined as treatment to preserve life and minimise the consequence of injury until help from a medical practitioner or nurse arrives. It also includes the treatment of minor injuries which may otherwise receive no treatment or would not require treatment by a medical practitioner. The Regulation is supported by an approved Code of Practice and a Guidance Note which lay down in broad terms the first aid facilities to be provided according to the number of people employed, covering the number of first aiders, the provision of first aid rooms and the content of first... 

There are generally minimum requirements for first aid facilities and the provision of medical aid prescribed under each jurisdiction s regulations. In many instances, these provisions would prove to be inadequate. Particular reference must always be made to the nature of the work and the availability of support for the injured. 

Medical station - Site safety map - Up-to-date site safety plans Providing access to up-to-date safety and health manuals and other reference materials Interfacing with the public government agencies, local politicians, medical personnel, the media, and other interested parties Monitoring work schedules and weather changes Maintaining site security Sanitary facilities First-aid administration... 

The first group persons in grave condition threatening their life (acute respiratory failure and cardiovascular collapse, coma, convulsions, paralytic manifestations). Upon first aid provided, these persons are to be evacuated to specialized medical institutions as soon as possible, preferably by ambulance cars, equipped with reanimation facilities. 

As the first Czechoslovak post-WW-II generation of means for personal decontamination at the lowest tactical level, i.e., at the individual first-aid level, we considered the two-solution system produced in Czechoslovakia according to the Soviet-originated model IPP-51. It was introduced under the acronym IPB-60 into the Czechoslovak Army, and under more simple modification in the first aid kit OZB into the Czechoslovak Civil Defence in the early 1960s. The same system was used for the secondary decontamination at the facilities of the medical evacuation chain (PCHB-60-P and PCHP-60-P). This system was based... 

Field First Aid Evacuate the Hot Zone at once when there is any release of arsine consider any victims who may have inhaled arsine to have suffered a potentially toxic dose. Although small amounts of arsine can be trapped in the victim s clothing or hair, these quantities are not likely to cause a danger for first response personnel outside the Hot Zone. Toxic effects could be delayed for up to two to twenty-four hours after exposure arsine exposure victims should all be evaluated at a medical facility. There is no specific antidote for arsine treatment is symptomatic and consists of actions to support respiratory, vascular, and renal functions. 

U.S. airbase soldiers also carried battle dressings and 500 mL lactated Ringer s solution (for fluid replacement) [4]. Specialist medical trained soldiers (corpsmen) carried standard trauma packs, first aid kits and antibiotics, with the expectation that the seriously injured would be evacuated directly to a military facility by helicopter. 

Open areas around the operating units of a plant act as buffers to the surrounding community. Sufficient clearance should be allowed so that, if tall structures collapse, other on-site buildings or equipment, or off-site properties are not affected. Adequate roadways providing entry to the plant are extremely important, and multiple entries and exits are advisable. An overcrowded plant can lead to damage or shutdown of adjacent units and may impede the movement of vehicles and materials in case of emergency (85). Another consideration is community fire-fighting assistance, first aid, and medical facilities. 

In any production facility the job of a safety engineer, medical personnel, and supervisor is to locate a place where first-aid equipment can be made easily accessible and without any hindrance. The workers should be given training by trained paramedical staff for first aid and other similar important practices. 

Despite the obvious medical and economic importance of essential medicines, there are still problems with lack of access, poor quality, and irrational use. In many health facilities in developing and in developed countries, essential medicines are not used to their full potential. While the EDL is regarded as a key aspect of global health and economics, the WHO EDL is, for the past few years, at the center of debates with respect to access issues (such as new essential medicines for HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and bacterial infections) and availability issues (such as the lack of pharmaceutical research and development for tropical diseases, most of the current tropical pharmacopoeia having been driven by colonization requirements during the first part of the 20th century). In 2001, still one-third of the world s population (over 50% in the poorest part of Africa and Asia) does not have regular access to the most vital essential medicines. 

First-aid emergency equipment and appropriate rescue medication should be available at the study site and adequate facilities for the proper care of subjects who require emergency or other medical care. 

In Chapter 5 the author addresses medical treatment and first edd directions for labels. Appropriate and rapid first aid will often greatly reduce the severity of the results of accidental exposure. At its most basic, first aid is designed to prolong life until medical treatment is available. Every facility that handles hazardous chemicals must have a well trained first aid squad, with on-going training programs that will ensure skill and knowledge maintenance. 

GENERAL COMMENTS Oral rat LD50 40-220 mg/kg First aid immediately wash eyes with large amounts of water, occasionally lifting lids if skin contact occurs, immediately remove clothes and wash with large amounts of water and soap if inhaled, remove to fresh air, apply resuscitation and CPR if necessary take to medical facility. 

FIRST AID rinse eyes immediately with large amounts of water for several minutes wash affected areas of skin with plenty of soap and water if breathing is difficult, provide oxygen perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation if breathing has stopped if this chemical has been swallowed, transfer promptly to a medical facility. 

---