Our thanks to Carol Gibson from http://www.adamssafety.com/ for this very important information regarding heart attack, which can happen suddenly to anyone:
Tag Archives: CPR
FIRST AID INFORMATION FOR ON-THE-JOB INJURIES
First aid refers to medical attention that is usually performed immediately after the injury occurs and at the location where it occurred. It often consists of a one-time, short-term treatment and requires little technology or training to administer. First aid can include cleaning minor cuts, scrapes, or scratches; treating a minor burn; applying bandages and dressings; the use of non-prescription medicine; draining blisters; removing debris from the eyes; massage; and drinking fluids to relieve heat stress. OSHA’s revised recordkeeping rule, which went into effect January 1, 2002, does not require first aid cases to be documented.
First Aid Programs
First aid training is primarily received through the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council (NSC), and private institutions. The American Red Cross and NSC offer standard and advanced first aid courses via their local chapter/training centers. After completing the course and successfully passing the written and practical tests, trainees receive two certificates: (adult CPR and first aid). An emphasis on quick response to first aid situations is incorporated throughout the program. Other program elements include: basic first aid intervention, basic adult cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and universal precautions for self-protection. Specific program elements include training specific to the type of injury: shock, bleeding, poisoning, burns, temperature extremes, musculoskeletal injuries, bites and stings, medical emergencies, and confined spaces. Instruction in the principles and first aid intervention of injuries will cover the following sites: head and neck, eye, nose, mouth and teeth, chest, abdomen, and hand, finger, and foot injuries. Employers are responsible for the type, amount, and maintenance of first aid supplies needed for their particular program. The training program should be periodically reviewed with current first aid techniques and knowledge. Basic adult CPR retesting should occur every year and first aid skills and knowledge should be reviewed every three years.
It is a requirement of OSHA that employees be given a safe and healthy workplace that is reasonably free of occupational hazards. However, it is unrealistic to expect accidents not to happen. Therefore, employers are required to provide medical and first aid personnel and supplies corresponding with the hazards of the workplace. The details of a workplace medical and first aid program depend on the circumstances of each workplace and employer. Medical and first aid services are addressed in specific standards for the general industry, shipyard employment, marine terminals, longshoring, and the construction industry.
It is very important that a business have at least one first aid kit in the office or at a construction area. Having an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) on location could be life-saving in the event of a heart attack. OSHA also requires that certain items be contained in every first aid kit, such as:
- Bloodborne Pathogen Kit (in case of chemical or airborne illness). A disposable gown with sleeves could be used if chemicals are spilled on clothes.
- CPR pack, when someone needs to perform CPR on another person.
- Large biohazard bags that are used to clean up spills.
- Disposable towels for cleanups.
- Plastic gloves.
- Face mask.first
- Eye Shield (all to be used when handling hazardous materials.)
- At least one CPR one-way face shield.
A regular first aid kit needs to be stocked with basics such as splints, gauze, antiseptics, bandages, and alcohol pads, in addition to:
- Tweezers
- Compress for head injuries or swollen injuries
- Plastic gloves
- Eye wash kit
- Burn cream or spray
- Aspirin or other over the counter pain relievers
Each work environment requires slightly different kits because each job has different injury possibilities. You can check with your local OSHA representative to get a full list of the items you should have in your first aid kits.
In the event of a serious injury, the first thing a person should do is have someone call 9-1-1 immediately, while they begin administering first aid in the manner they have been trained to do. To see the exact standards for each type of occupation, you may research the OSHA website.
One suggestion is that every home have a well-supplied first aid kit; also one in their car. We never know when someone may need first aid, at home, or on the road.
Source: OSHA
UNDERSTANDING DEFIBRILLATORS (GUEST POST)
A defibrillator is a life saving device that issues a electrical shock to the heart in some cases of cardiac arrest. This process is called defibrillation and can help save lives. Cardiac arrest happens when the heart stops pumping bloody around the body. At this time it is critical that defibrillation happens as soon as possible.
This electrical shock depolarizes a critical mass of the heart muscle, terminates the arrhythmia, and allows the natural rhythm of the heart to be re-established by the body’s organic pacemaker, in the sinoatrial node of the heart.
According to the British heart foundation for every minute that a patient is not giving defibrillation their chances of survival decrease by 14 per cent. In fact research also show that’s providing a shock within five minutes of the patient collapsing provide the best chance of survival.
Defibrillators can come in many forms and sizes. These can be external, transvenous, or implanted. This will all depend on the device used. The most common devices are called automated external defibrillators (AEDs) and because they automate the defibrillation process, by automation of the treatable rhythms, meaning that bystanders or people with very little or no training at all can use them.
Because of the importance of the defibrillators and the low numbers available, it is vital that these devices are strategically placed within an area. These are often placed where an ambulance would find it difficult to get to – i.e., placed with traffic congestion, poor infrastructure, or where large crowds gather.
Defibrillation was first successfully performed in 1899 by two physiologists in Switzerland. It was found that small electrical shocks could induce ventricular fibrillation in dogs. However, it wasn’t until 1933 that a serious alternative to injecting powerful drugs straight to the heart. Dr Albert Hyman came up with the invention of a hollow needle, an insulated wire to the heart to deliver the electrical shocks.
These days Defibrillators have come a long way from the Hyman days. In order to use the AED, the machine is turned on and then a voice prompt will instruct the rescuer on what to do. The voice prompts the rescuer to place the pads into position on the chest and these then detect if a shock is needed by reading activity in the heart.
Defibrillation should never be seen as an alternative to to CPR, which can help by time before defibrillation is needed. The British Heart Foundation state that if more GP surgeries were equipped with defibrillators that survival could be increased by up to 60 per cent if the patient is treated immediately after entering cardiac arrest.
AED’s are often placed in highly visible areas and it is not recommended that these should be placed in locked or code restricted cabinets as this makes them inaccessible in time of emergency where the time taken is of essence. AED’s are often brightly coloured, and are often encased in protective cases. When these protective cases are opened nearby staff are alerted by a buzzer.
Neil Maycock is a writer for Martek Medical. Focusing on topics such as health and safety and first aid at work.
Thanks, Neil, for this information about defibrillators. After having seen an AED demonstrated in a CPR class, the verbal coaching that it gives makes it easy for most persons to use. As stated in your article, CPR should be the first attempt of life-saving. Hopefully, AED’s are becoming more prominent at many venues, from sports, to school activities, to churches. A heart attack can happen any time, any where. pb
OUR EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES ARE READY, BUT ARE WE?
One never knows when an emergency will happen, and first aid is one of those things that we all hope we will never be called on to do, but should know in case of an accident. From the business perspective, bringing a first aid trainer into the workplace can become part of a team-building exercise, as it encourages people to work together to learn for a common goal. Staff can learn to identify dangerous situations before accidents happen. This will have a significant impact on the bottom line – in terms of both human cost (lost time, Worker’s Comp claims, and administration time) and insurance and claims costs.
Know-How (First Aid Precautions):
1. SAFETY is the first rule in first aid, (and common sense). When assisting someone else do not become the second casualty. Do not enter a burning building to rescue someone unless you are trained to do so, and if you do not swim, don’t enter deep water to rescue someone who is drowning.
2. Avoid going beyond your training; make sure that you are not doing more harm than good. Leave the medical expertise to the Paramedics and Physicians.
3. Stay away from medication unless the patient/casualty has their own medication prescribed by the doctor for the particular problem they are experiencing.
4. Keep injuries to a minimum by knowing what to do when faced with an emergency – take a first aid or CPR course and learn how to save a life.
It pays to keep first aid kits in your car, home, and at work. Most workplaces have welll stocked first aid kits. Kits should be full of supplies that are appropriate for location and planned activities. It is a good idea for coaches of all sports for youngsters to keep a first aid kit at practice and games, and to know how to administer first aid. Having an Automatic External Defibrillator, (AED) on site can be life-saving, from a sporting event to a church service. One never knows when or where a heart attack can occur. Check your first aid kit to see if it contains:
- Bandages
- Sterile gauze pads
- Alcohol pads
- Dressings
- Soap
- Saline
- Tweezers
- Disposable gloves
- Over the counter pain medications
- CPR pocket mask or face shield
- Aloe Vera gel
- Mixed sizes of safety pins.
- Sting relief
- Antibiotic ointment
At work, be sure you know where the first aid kits are located and take a course in first aid if it is offered at your place of employment. You never know when you may need it. If you are going on a trip, it may be the most important thing you take with you.
Tomorrow, we will continue on this subject by discussing what to do when some of the most common accidents happen to us, either at work or home. Please stay tuned……….
TOP TEN SAFETY APPS – Guest Blog
Guest Blog – Jesse Harwell is today’s guest author. We know you will enjoy reading about ways to stay safe, and can benefit from this safety advise. With these types of safety apps, how much “smarter” can our cell phones get?
Top 10 Safety Apps
There are a number of smartphone apps on the market designed to keep you and your family safe in emergency situations. They cover everything from safe driving and emergency alerts to first aid instructions. Here are the top ten safety apps.
1. Life 360 – Android (Free)
This app is the perfect tool for families in an emergency situation. It has a number of features vital in any disaster situation, such as GPS tracking on family members’ phones, disaster planning tips, communication tools, neighborhood maps of safety points.
2. MyMotolingo – Windows phones ($5/month)
This app is good for parents of teen drivers or spouses of drivers with road rage. It monitors all driver distractions, such as text messages and phone calls, and provides a report of phone activity. It also logs aggressive acceleration, speeding, trip length, and time that can be provided in email reports or tweets. Make sure your loved ones are keeping themselves safe on the road.
3. Playsafe – iPhone ($0.99)
Another factor that distracts drivers is playing and changing music on a mobile device. It makes the iPhone screen into a large button to play and pause music. A simple sideways swipe on the screen changes the track.
4. Silent Bodyguard – iPhone ($3.99)
This app acts like a silent panic button. Press it and the system will send e-mails, texts and social media messages with your location every 60 seconds to everyone on your emergency contact list. Best of all, it’s silent in case you’re in a situation when you wouldn’t want your attacker to know you’ve called for help.
5. Safety NET – Android ($3.99)
If you have loved ones who have medical issues, you might want to have them install this app. It uses a smartphone’s built-in accelerometer to monitor for falls, collisions, or shakes and immediately alerts all the contacts listed in the user’s “Safety Net.” If you accidentally drop your phone or don’t need help, you are also given 15 seconds to cancel the alert.
6. Pocket First Aid & CPR – iPhone, Android ($1.99)
This app comes from the American Heart Association and provides basic instructions for performing first aid and CPR for adults, children, and infants. This should not be a substitute for complete first aid and CPR training, but it could save a life in an emergency. It also has several videos and illustrations to help you perform first aid and CPR correctly.
7. Emergency Radio – iPhone ($1.99)
If you’re in an emergency situation without access to power, this app allows you to listen in on radio frequencies from first responders, such as the police, fire department, coast guard, as well as weather stations and air traffic control frequencies. It is currently available for major cities in the U.S., as well as a few around the world like London, Toronto, and Sydney.
8. ICE – iPhone ($0.99)
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. This app allows first responders and emergency personnel to find your emergency contacts, medical information, and allergies all in one place.
9. Help Me! –Android (Free)
This app provides personal information such as blood type, medical conditions, allergies, and an emergency call button. When the app is open, the screensaver is disabled so that anyone helping you can see the information at all times.
10. Personal Safety – Android ($1.99)
This app provides lots of information to keep you and your family safe. It alerts you of high-crime neighborhoods, severe weather, allergens, air quality, and speed limits wherever you are.
Jesse Harwell is a former private investigator who now owns and manages the site Master of Homeland Security. It is a resource for students looking to earn a Master’s Degree in Homeland Security.
Wow! What great information, thank you so much, Jesse! This is good advice to assist everyone, as we never know when an emergency will happen. Please pass this on to your family and friends. Go to Jesse’s website for more ways to stay safe!
“HANDS ONLY” CPR RECOMMENDED
Hopefully, you’ve heard the latest news about “hands only” cardiopulmonary resuscitation recommended by medical experts. Having passed a CPR class, this news comes as a relief to me, because I have always wondered if I could really perform the “mouth-to-mouth,” or rescue breathing that might be necessary in the event that I needed to help someone. Note: this recommendation applies to lay people only. Emergency Medical Personnel still must do both rescue breathing and chest compressions on all patients, including children.
Two studies were conducted from 2004 to 2009, involving 3,000 men and women who needed CPR during that period. One was done in the United States and the other study was in Europe. Certain patients received the hands only type of CPR, and the others received rescue breathing, along with chest compressions. Patients in the study were all adults, and statistics showed that patients had almost identical survival rates. Dr. Myron Weisfeldt, Physician In Chief at Johns Hopkins Hospital states these findings illustrate that in CPR, “less is better.” However, Dr. Weisfeldt did state that certain patients, such as those with sudden acute heart failure, severe chronic lung disease, or acute asthma should receive rescue breathing in addition to chest compressions.
It is hoped that this finding will encourage more bystanders to get involved in helping someone who may be experiencing a heart attack. By performing CPR soon after a heart attack, the likelihood of survival increases twofold. If you see a person in distress, call 9-1-1, or quickly ask someone standing by to do so. Place hands one on top of the other on the center of the patient’s chest, and begin chest compressions, which need to be hard and fast. Try to do 100 compressions per minute. ABC News reported that one medical source suggested doing compressions to the beat of the song, “Stayin’ Alive” while you are performing the compressions. (It might be difficult to think of that during an emergency, but as they were demonstrating it, there really was a good beat, as well as a good message!)
I know that I feel better knowing that the “hands only” system may help someone in trouble; I just wasn’t sure that I could clear a person’s airway and perform mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. So far, I haven’t had to try, but I am certainly willing to give it my best if an emergency arises. It would be a good idea for everyone to take a CPR class. You never know when you might save the life of someone you love very much or a complete stranger.
IF YOU DON’T KNOW CPR, LEARN!
According to a study done by the University of Washington and Mickey Eisenberg, M.D., approximately 166,000 lives each year are lost (or 455 people per day), due to sudden cardiac arrest.
Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in adults, most by persons with underlying heart disease. In this instance, the heart goes from a normal heartbeat to a trembling rhythm called ventricular fibrillation, which happens in about 2/3 of cardiac arrests. VF can be fatal, without defibrillation (electric shock) being given. CPR doesn’t stop VF, but it extends the time in which defibrillation can be effective, and provides a small amount of oxygenated blood to the brain and heart, keeping these organs alive until defibrillation can shock the heart into a normal rhythm. A person has a 40% chance of survival if CPR is started within 4 minutes of collapse and defibrillation provided within 10 minutes.
Interesting facts regarding CPR:
- Mouth-to-mouth resuscitation was developed in the late 1950’s and 1960’s. About the same time, chest compression was found also to benefit circulation. Later in 1960, chest compression and mouth-to-mouth were combined to form CPR almost as it is practiced today.
- Typical victims of cardiac arrest are women in their late 60’s and men in their early 60’s, occurring almost twice as often in men than women.
- There has never been a case of HIV transmitted by mouth-to-mouth CPR. However, TASCO has CPR microshield kits available with one-way ventilation tubes and shields for protection if the victim has blood on their face, resulting from an accident.
- Never underestimate the importance of knowing CPR. With proper training, you may be able to save a life someday! If your workplace doesn’t have CPR training, find a training program and sign up for a course.
Source: Mickey Eisenberg, M.D.
University of Washington
“Learn CPR-You Can Do It!”
CPR Shields
CPR can save lives, if it is done properly. However, many people don’t know how to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) properly and even if you do, it can be dangerous for you. If there has been a car accident or other catastrophe and someone needs CPR but they have blood on their mouth or face, in this day in age, you need to be protected against diseases yourself. Microshields are the best way to keep from accidental contamination from occurring. A CPR microshield covers the mouth of the victim and has a valve for air to pass from the giver to the receiver. The valve only opens when the rescuer breathes out and closes when the rescuer finishes giving the breath. The masks even have a breathing tube that ensures an open airway.
These shields are important for everyone to have so they even have holders with a keychain attachment so you always know where your shields are in an emergency. You can even get them with a pair of high risk latex gloves for further protection.