First aid is an integral part of OSHA Safety management, in this article we will see the standards set by OSHA to conduct first aid training at your workplace.
OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is a labor regulatory agency of the United States Department of Labor that has set standards and rules for safety management, which is followed across the world.
OSHA and its Indian Counterparts.
India has a lot of laws to safeguard the interest of Employees and their safety, namely
- Factory act 1948
- Mines act
- Workmen’s compensation act
- Employees’ state insurance act etc..
In these Factory act and Mines act sets standards for safety management in an organization.
Safety audits and OSHA
All the Major safety certifications such as ISO 45001:2018 and OSHAS 18001 need to follow the guidelines given by OSHA. All the internationally recognized safety and health certifications need to follow OSHA Guidelines.
Why safety audits require First aid training?
As per the OSHA, Employers should also be prepared to face any medical emergencies and have provisions for such. One of the most important provisions for emergency preparedness is training your employees in first aid. So every successful safety audit requires training employees in first aid.
What are the provisions for first aid as per OSHA?
The OSHA First Aid standard (29 CFR 1910.151) requires trained first-aid providers at all workplaces of any size if there is no “infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees.”
How do I train my employees in First aid as per OSHA
You have to train your employees inside your facility to get organizational first aid certificate. The training provided must be in line with the guidelines provided by OSHAS. You can train your employees in a group of maximum of 30 people.
Along with organizational certificate, every employee needs to be individually certified by the trainer. Hands-on training is a must to obtain first aid certificate. Virtual trainings are not valid.
OSHA does not teach first-aid courses or certify first-aid training courses for instructors or trainees.
First-aid courses should be individualized to the needs of the workplace. Some of the noted program elements may be optional for a particular plant or facility. On the other hand, unique conditions at a specific worksite may necessitate the addition of customized elements to a first-aid training program.
First aid supplies as per OSHA guidelines
First aid kits and AEDs are recommended by OSHA under First aid supply guidelines.
The supplies must be adequate, should reflect the kinds of injuries that occur, and must be stored in
an area where they are readily available for emergency access. An automated external defibrillator (AED) should be considered when selecting first-aid supplies and equipment.
Employers who have unique or changing first-aid needs should consider upgrading their first-aid kits.
From where should I get first aid training?
According to OSHA, every organization is free to take training from anyone or any organization with required knowledge and credibility.
OSHA Guide for First aid training
Factory act doesn’t specify the course content for first aid trainings. OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) on the other hand has guidelines for first aid training so always make sure your training is as per OSHA.
According to OSHA, First aid training must include
- Assessing Casualty and CPR
- Handling Minor and Major Injuries (Ex, Cuts, and Fractures)
- Medical Conditions (Ex, Heart attack and Stroke)
- Environmental conditions (Ex. Hypothermia)
What kind of first aid training do my employees need?
First workshops range from BLS (Basic Life support), ALS (Advanced life support), and First responder programs. The kind of programs you need will depend on the environment you’re working in.
If you’re working in an environment where injuries are quite common and frequent, you will need a much advanced training. You might not need such training for an office in IT Sector.
What happens if I don’t train my employees in First aid?
Today every safety audit requires a first aid training certificate and Ambulance room. You will run into legal troubles if any accident occurs inside your facility. First aid knowledge improves your employees’ ability to respond during emergencies which in turn can save the company a lot of time and money.
First aid training is something that shouldn’t be done just for the statutory reasons; it’s much more than that. First aid is a human skill that everyone should know. It literally saves lives during emergencies and nothing ever comes closer to saving someone’s life. There are instances when after 40 Minutes of CPR people have come back to life.
We have been training people in first aid from last 3 years, till now we’ve trained over 5000 Individuals and partnered up with 50+ Corporates and setup their emergency rooms. All of our trainers are certified and we train people according to osha guidelines. Please contact us if you need first aid training.