1.

DEFINATIONS:
1.1 - First-aid
According to DOSH Guidelines, First Aid can be defined as:
the assessment and interventions that can be performed by a first aider during an emergency with
minimal equipment until appropriate medical personnel arrive.
According to US OSHA,First Aid can be defined as:
emergency care provided for injury or sudden illness before emergency medical treatment is
available.
In working place, it is the provisions of first-aid treatment and personnel required for the initial
treatment to a victim of accidental injury or sudden illness that occurs before the treatment by
qualified medical personnel.
The purposes of first-aid are to:
Preserve life
Prevent injury or illness from becoming worse;
Reduce pain;
Promote recovery; and
Care of the unconscious.
First-aid facilities include:
first-aid box;
first-aid room; and
First-aid equipment, e.g. oxygen tanks and stretchers.
1.2 - First-aider
According to DOSH guidelines, first aider is:
The person who has successfully completed a first-aid course and has been awarded with a
certificate of proficiency in first-aid by a recognized institution

2. LEGAL PROVISION
Every company has a legal obligation/duty to provide information, instruction, training and
supervision about first-aid services for their worker in the working place.
2.1 - The Factories and Machinery Act 1967
Section 25 of the Factories and Machinery Act 1967 (Act 139) and Regulations 38 of the
Factories and Machinery (Safety, Health and Welfare) Regulations 1970 state the scope of
responsibility of an occupier with regards to first-aid provision. The scope includes:
providing and maintaining a first-aid box/kit of such standard as may by prescribed and
ensuring the box/kit is readily available/accessible at all times;
Assigning the responsibility to upkeep a first-aid box/kit to a responsible person,
specifying that the responsible person should be proficient in first-aid treatment.
2.2 - The Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994
Section 15(1) of the Occupational Safety and Health Act 1994 (Act 514) provides that every
employer must ensure, so far as is practical, the safety, health and welfare at work of all his

employees. The provision of first-aid facilities and first-aiders is in compliance with the welfare
component of this general duty of employers.

3. ESTABLISHING FIRST AID FACILITIES AND SERVICES

The provision of first aid facilities and services starts with identifying all the hazards in
the work environment that could lead to injury or harm to the health of people at the
workplace.
This should be done in consultation with workers and their elected safety and health
representatives, where they exist.
An assessment of the likelihood and consequences of the hazard leading to injury or harm
will assist in identifying the means of reducing risk to the employees and the first aid
services and facilities appropriate for the workplace.
It is important to give consideration to high risk environments, such as:
Workplaces that use or manufacture hazardous substances
Construction and demolition sites
Timber harvesting sites
Workplaces where hazardous processes may be used (e.g. abrasive blasting)
Where heat is used as part of any process (e.g. molding or casting, welding and cutting)
Where people are required to work in any remote or isolated areas (e.g. agricultural,
fishing or transport industry)
Workplaces that provide assistance and care to highly dependent people
The following matters need to be determined:
The contents of first aid boxes
The number of first aid boxes and where the boxes should be located ensuring they will
be readily available
Any need for a simple oxygen supply
The number of people to be trained in first aid and what is approved training for the
particular workplace
The possible need for a first aid room and the requirement it should contain
A system for recording and reporting
The availability of trained first aid personnel during working hours
The availability of professional medical care (e.g. hospital, medical centre) and
emergency service (e.g. ambulance) response time

4. COMPONENTS IN WORKPLACE FIRST AID FACILITIES

4.1 Major Components:

first-aider
first-aid box
first-aid room
first-aid equipment

4.2 Factors to be considered in implementation:

type of industry / hazards

number of workers
number of work shifts
location of workplace and status of infrastructure in relation to the nearest medical clinic
or hospital

5.0 FIRST AIDER

5.1 Provision of Information About First-Aiders
An employer should display a notice, in a prominent place in the work-site, of the names
and locations of first-aiders.
First-aiders should also be provided with a form of identification (e.g. badge, arm band)
for easy recognition.
5.2 Selection criteria:

Mature, responsible
physically fit
free from blood borne infectious diseases, e.g. Hepatitis B, HIV/AIDS
Calm in emergency, free to leave their work immediately to respond to an emergency

5.3 Training
Recognized first aid course:
o Basic life support
o First Aid / Basic Trauma Life Support
Refresher Training once every three (3) years.
The skills and knowledge of First Aiders should include the ability to:

undertake the initial treatment of injuries and illnesses occurring in the workplace

know when to call on the assistance of the emergency services or, where
available, workplace medical practitioners or workplace nurses

follow the advice and direction of the emergency services

undertake CPR

utilize standard precautions to minimize the spread of infectious diseases when

treating wounds and disposing of clinical waste

dispose of waste appropriately

maintain first aid kits and first aid rooms (if applicable)

record details of first aid treatment given

Make appropriate reports to management.

5.4 Responsibilities
Management of Casualty

give immediate first-aid treatment

arrange without delay for the injured worker(s) to be sent to a doctor, hospital or
home, according to the seriousness of this condition.

Apply the principle of Universal Precautions while delivering the responsibility to

protect the first-aiders from acquiring blood borne pathogen e.g. Hepatitis B and
HIV.

Maintenance of Treatment Record

Responsibilities for Maintenance of First-Aid Requirement

6.0 FIRST AID BOX

6.1 Design
Sturdy, portable, and clearly marked.
6.2 Location
clearly identifiable, well-illuminated and accessible location.

 The box should be kept locked and the key thereto kept by responsible person available
during all working hours.
The employees should be informed of the location of all first aid boxes.
Contents
First-aid boxes should contain a sufficient quantity of suitable first-aid materials.
They should not contain oral medication of any kind other than those required for firstaid treatment.
Check frequently to make sure they are fully equipped and all items are usable.
Recommended contents of a first-aid box are listed in DOSH guidelines.
First aid boxes should not contain items likely to be toxic or open to be misuse. Any first
aid boxes containing prescription drugs must be securely locked and accessible only to
properly trained personnel.

CASE STUDY 1: WORKER COLLAPSES AFTER INHALING EXCESSIVE CARBON

MONOXIDE

THE POSSIBLE FIRST AID THAT CAN BE GIVEN:

1. Get the Person to Fresh Air
Move the person away from carbon monoxide area.
If the person is unconscious, check for injuries before moving.
Turn off carbon monoxide source if you can do so safely.
2. Call ambulances
3. Begin CPR, if Necessary
Perform CPR for one minute before calling ambulances if you are alone. Otherwise, have
someone else call and begin CPR.
Continue CPR until the person begins breathing or emergency help arrives.
4. Follow Up
Once at the hospital, treatment depends on the severity of the carbon monoxide exposure.Mild
exposure is treated with oxygen and monitoring of carbon monoxide levels.Severe carbon
monoxide poisoning may require high doses of oxygen therapy.
JUSTIFICATION WHY FIRST AID MUST BE GIVEN TO THE VICTIM:

 Providing quick medical treatment until professional assistance arrives.

To save his life before anything bad happen to him.
First aid helps ensure that the right methods of administering medical assistance are
provided.
To prevent further harm.

CASE STUDY 2: 2 WORKERS DIED AND 10 SERIOUSLY INJURED IN INDUSTRIAL

ACCIDENT AT WORK PLACE

THE
POSSIBLE FIRST AID THAT CAN BE GIVEN:

1.

Call the ambulances

2.

Remove any obvious dirt or debris from the wound. Don't remove large or deeply
embedded objects. Don't probe the wound or attempt to clean it yet.

3.

Stop the bleeding. Place a sterile bandage or clean cloth on the wound. Press the
bandage firmly with your palm to control bleeding. Maintain pressure by binding the
wound tightly with a bandage or a piece of clean cloth. Secure with adhesive tape. Use
your hands if nothing else is available. Raise the injured part above the level of the heart.
Special cases:
o

Don't put direct pressure on an eye injury or embedded object.

Don't reposition or put pressure on displaced organs. Cover the wound with a
clean dressing.

4.

Help the injured person lie down, preferably on a rug or blanket to prevent loss of
body heat. If possible, elevate the legs.

5.

Don't remove the gauze or bandage. If the bleeding seeps through the gauze or other
cloth on the wound, add another bandage on top of it. And keep pressing firmly on the area.
Tourniquets: A tourniquet is effective in controlling life-threatening bleeding from a limb.
Apply a tourniquet if you're trained in how to do so. When emergency help arrives, explain
how long the tourniquet has been in place.

6.

Immobilize the injured body part once the bleeding has stopped. Leave the bandages
in place and get the injured person to the emergency room as soon as possible.

JUSTIFICATION WHY FIRST AID MUST BE GIVEN TO THE VICTIM:

1. The first aid must be given to the victim to avoid over bleeding. Over bleeding may cause
the victim to die as the heart doesnt have enough blood to pump to the cells.
2. To provide quick medical treatment before the emergency help arrives
3. To give moral support before the help arrives.
4. To prevent further harm to the victim.

OVERALL PURPOSES OF GIVING FIRST AID TO THE VICTIMS

The aims of First Aid are the reasons for carrying out the first aid measures itself. The aims are
related to the Principles of First Aid. Simply said, these are the things that the person giving first
aid is trying to achieve. There are three main aims of First Aid and they are as follows:

The first aim is to preserve life. This is the primary aim, the most important one, of first
aid as it involves saving the life of the casualty or any potential casualties within the risk vicinity.
This includes the life of the first aid personnel, the casualty (the victim, the injured or sick
person), and as well as the bystanders. Consequently, this means that the first aid applied to
someone may not be the final medical treatment that the casualty receives, especially if the case
is that of a major injury. Instead, this may just be the preliminary treatment and should be
followed up by the professional medical team.

Secondly, prevent further harm. This is also known as preventing the condition from
worsening or preventing further damage, as it involves danger of further injury. This includes
external factors, such as moving the patient out of harms way. And also during the application of
first aid techniques, that is to prevent worsening of the condition, like in the instance of applying
pressure to stop a massive bleeding. The first aid provided should not make the condition worse.

The third aim is to promote recovery. First aid is still involved in the recovery phase from
the illness or injury, especially in the beginning of its process. Sometimes it can even be involved
in completing a treatment, such as in the case of applying a plaster to a small wound.
The other aims of First Aid are: to provide pain relief, to protect the unconscious, and to provide
reassurance to the casualty.
The provision of prompt and appropriate first aid can reduce the severity of an injury or illness. It
must be noted that there is a limit as to the effectiveness that first aid can provide.

REFERENCES

http://www.firstaidforfree.com/the-aims-of-first-aid-three-ps/
http://www.dosh.gov.my/index.php/en/legislation/regulations-1/osha-1994-act-154
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_aid_kit
http://www.slideshare.net/hamidahharith/factories-and-machinery-act-1967-fma-

1967
https://worksmart.org.uk/health-advice/employer-support/first-aid/what-first-aider
https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/medicalfirstaid/recognition.html
https://www.osha.gov/recordkeeping/
http://www.bmssafety.com/articles/learn-confine-space-safety-so-that-this-can-be-

avoided%E2%80%A6%E2%80%A6/
http://www.themalaymailonline.com/malaysia/article/accident-at-mrt-semantanconstruction-site-two-workers-trapped
http://www.mayoclinic.org/first-aid