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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

2. FIRST AID

Introduction
Z NOTE!
This information is not intended
Own limitations
Before you become a rescuer, be
nor is implied to be a substitute aware of your own sensitivities and
for professional medical advice. limitations. If you are not cut out for
hands-on assistance at the scene of a
The steps a rescuer takes during the medical emergency, you can still help.
first few minutes of a medical emer- The fact that you know how to get
gency are critical, they can mean the help and what to say can make a dif-
difference between temporary or per- ference.
manent disability or between life and
death. Thats why first-aid knowledge Assisting
and training are so important. They Its also important to exercise compas-
prepare you to intervene calmly and sion and understanding for the vic-
effectively in an emergency. tims situation. Your job is to stay
calm and to reassure the victim with-
This first-aid information allows you out making false promises. Again,
to find easy-to-follow instructions on thinking ahead about this and the
how to help in a medical emergency. role you might someday have to play
Youll learn what to do and what not will make a difference in ensuring the
to do if youre the first one on the effectiveness of your assistance.
scene. So familiarize yourself with
this material before an incident oc- + Assess the Situation.
curs. And keep in mind that reading + Set Priorities.
this information is no substitute for + Check the ABCS, Airway,
formal instruction and practice. Con- Breathing and Circulation.
tact the Red Cross or equivalent orga- + Administer First Aid for Specific
nization to inquire about first aid and Emergencies.
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
First aid is serious. Dedicate some
training.
time to learning how to help. Any time
Remember, knowing what to do in a you spend doing this is time well
medical emergency can make a differ- spent, especially if youre ever called
ence. upon to help in a medical emergency.

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2. FIRST AID

Assess the situation


Your first step in a medical emer- Anyone involved in the care of an ill
gency must be to look around and ask or injured person can be at risk of ac-
yourself Is the scene safe for me?, quiring an infectious disease, such as
before attempting a rescue. Too often hepatitis, tuberculosis, acquired im-
well-intentioned rescuers become vic- mune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), or
tims themselves when they risk their meningitis. Identifying a person as
safety to help others. having a communicable disease can be
difficult or impossible; therefore, res-
Dont think that rushing in will make
cuers must take protective measures
you a hero. If the area is unsafe, go
to avoid coming in contact with any of
for help or put on the personal protec-
the victims body fluids (blood, urine,
tive equipment that will permit you to
sputum, secretions). Protective mea-
assist safely.
sures should also be taken during
cleanup and disposal of materials
Protection used to treat the victim.
Protecting yourself from infectious
disease should also be a consideration.

Set priorities
After youve determined that it is safe If the victim responds, identify your-
for you to enter the accident area, ap- self as willing to assist. Find out what
proach the victim. As you do, look for is wrong and take steps to help the
signs of life. Determine if the victim is victim. (Treat the more serious inju-
breathing. If spine or neck injury is ries first, check the silent ones first.)
suspected, dont move the victim un-
Its important to stay calm and assure
less theres a threat of fire, explosion,
the victim while youre performing
or other life-threatening danger. Tap
first-aid measures.
the victim on the shoulder and ask,
Are you OK?

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

Calling for help


How youre going to summon help + The address and location of the acci-
should be another consideration. In dent (including specific directions to
most cases, the victim will need some the exact location).
type of emergency medical assistance, + Your name, phone number, and the
be it from emergency medical techni- number of a nearby phone.
cians, the company nurse, or a physi- + A description of what happened and
cian at the hospital. If youre not how many people need help. (Its
alone, tell someone else to go for med- also a good idea to check the vic-
ical assistance while you help the vic- tims wrist and neck for a medical
tim. alert tag and to report what it says
If you are alone, in certain circum- to the dispatcher.)
stances intervention is your priority.
On a medical alert tag
However, it may be best to call Emer- useful information about
gency Medical Services (EMS) first be- allergy to drugs etc. can
fore you intervene, especially if you be found.
witness a collapse or come across an
unresponsive adult victim.
+ Stay on the phone until the dis-
When you do call EMS, remember patcher tells you its okay to hang
that there are certain things a dis- up. Remain calm and listen care-
patcher will need to know in order to fullythe dispatcher may give you
get help to you quickly: valuable first-aid instructions for
aiding the victim until help arrives.

Administer first aidwhat to do and what not to do


Making a decision about calling for way is blocked, breathing has stopped,
emergency medical assistance is usu- and theres no pulse (the ABCs arent
ally one of the first things you do present)-call for medical help before
when you come upon the scene of a you start CPR on an adult.
medical emergency. Obviously, some
You should learn how to administer
minor injuries may not require calling
first aid for different emergencies. At-
EMS or even require a visit to a medi-
tention to monitoring and maintaining
cal facility. Treatment can be effec-
the ABCs-Airway, Breathing and Cir-
tively given on the scene and no fur-
culation is critical at all times.
ther medical attention will be
required unless complications arise. + AOpen the Airway (head-tilt,
chin-lift)
Keep in mind, too, that not all injuries + BCheck for Breathing
or illnesses require summoning an
ambulance to the scene. A victim can + CCheck for Circulation
be safely transported to the hospital Remember, too, that if your interven-
by a co-worker or friend. However, tion causes pain at any time, stop. Its
whenever youre unsure of what to do, important that you do no further
or feel that emergency assistance is harm.
needed, dont hesitate to call for help. A word of caution about coming in
If you suspect a serious injury or the contact with a victims body fluids:
person has collapsed and is unrespon- Contact with the victims blood, urine,
sive, get medical help on the scene as sputum, or secretions could put you at
quickly as possible. If the victims air- risk of contracting a communicable

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2. FIRST AID

disease. Also if your body fluids con- recommended when administering


tact the victims you can transmit dis- first aid.
ease to them. Thats why barrier de-
vices, such as gloves, are

Emergency first-aid techniques


Here youll learn some of the emer- Recovery position
gency first-aid techniques. Again, keep
Do not put victim in recovery position
in mind that theres a difference be-
if spinal injury is suspected. A victim
tween reading about the techniques
who is unconscious or vomiting should
and practicing them under the guid-
be placed on his or her side to allow
ance of a first-aid instructor. Reading
drainage of fluids and to prevent
about first aid is no substitute for
blockage of the airway by blood and to
first-aid training.
prevent blockage of the vomits.
Clothes-drag technique
If youre alone and a victim has to be
moved, follow these steps:
1 Lay victim on back and grab vic-
tims clothing behind his/her neck.
(Be careful not to cause an airway
obstruction by pulling the shirt too
tightly.)
2 Support victims head, keeping the Shock position
head as close to the floor as possi-
ble. Do not put victim in this position if
spinal injury is suspected. Putting a
3 Drag the victim by his/her cloth- victim in this position helps increase
ing, keeping the body aligned. Pull blood return to the heart.
as a unit.

What to do

1 Lay victim on back. Dont place


pillow under head.
2 Elevate legs a minimum of 8
inches above head level.
3 Maintain body temperature and
keep victim comfortable.

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

CPR: adult
1 Check for Consciousness
! Tap or gently shake person.
! Shout, Are you OK? If person
is unconscious...

5 If an obstruction to the airway is


visible in the back of the mouth
and the person is unconscious, re-
move the object with your index
finger.

2 Call emergency medical service im-


mediately!
Z NOTE!
Never place your fingers in the
3 Roll person onto back mouth of a conscious or semicon-
scious individual.

6 To keep the airway open, place one


hand on the victims forehead and
put the fingers of your other hand
under the bony part of the chin.
Press down on the forehead and
lift out the chin so that the mouth
is slightly open.

BCheck for Breathing


! Move person as a unit. Support
head and neck. Place on firm 7 Place your ear above victims
surface. If a back or neck injury mouth and nose. Listen and feel
is suspected, make sure neck for air. Watch for the victims chest
and back are kept straight to to rise and fall for 3 to 5 seconds.
avoid further injury to the spine.
8 If no breathing, give 2 full breaths
For CPR to work, victim should be ly-
ing flat on a firm surface with head at ! Pinch nose shut.
the same level as heart. ! Seal your lips tightly around
mouth.
AOpen the Airway (head-tilt,
chin-lift)
4 Tilt head back. Lift chin.
! The most common cause of air-
way obstruction is the tongue. If
you suspect a spinal injury, do
not tilt the head back; perform
chin lift only.

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2. FIRST AID

CCheck for Circulation ! Lean with shoulder over hand.


Lock arm straight.
9 Check pulse.
! ! Depress breastbone 1 to 2
Feel for pulse at side on neck for inches.
5 to 10 seconds.
! Give 5 compressions in about 4
seconds.
12 Give 2 slow breath
! Tilt head back. Lift chin.
! Pinch nose shut.
! Give 2 slow breath each for 1
to 2 seconds.
10 If no pulse, Position your hands ac- 13 Repeat cycles of 2 breath and 15
cording to the picture below. compressions for 4 cycles.
! Keep head tilted with one hand. 14 Check pulse
! Find notch at lower end of
15 If no pulse, continue 2 breaths &
breastbone with middle finger.
15 compressions until person re-
Place heel of same hand on
vives or help arrives.
breastbone, 2 finger widths
above notch. If pulse is present but there is no
! Keep fingers off chest. breathing
16 Continue rescue breathing at a
rate of one breath every 5 seconds
until breathing is restored or help
arrives. Control major bleeding.
Remember, proper function of the air-
way, breathing, and circulation are
basic to life. Therefore, the ABCs are
always your first priority. Other ill-
nesses and injuries are secondary.
Please take a CPR Course!
11 Give 15 compressions

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

Fracture
A fracture is a break (or a crack) of a
bone. Nerves and blood vessels can be
injured by a broken bone, causing a
more urgent situation. With open frac-
tures, the bone comes through the
skin. With a closed fracture, the skin
over the bone remains intact. Usually
X-ray is needed to determine if a frac-
ture has occurred.

Signs & symptoms:


+ Bruising
+ Inability to normally move affected You can learn different splinting tech-
area niques in a first-aid course. Below are
some of the basics of splinting you can
+ Pain use if help is not on the way and
+ Deformity splinting is necessary to move the vic-
+ Tenderness tim.
+ Exposed bone ends + Support both sides of the fracture
+ Swelling when you lift the fractured limb
Do not force anyone to use a painful into the splint.
body part. + If, for example, you use a newspa-
per to splint a fractured forearm, be
Do not straighten a misshapen bone. sure to extend the newspaper from
Do not move victim if neck or spine the hand to the elbow so that it in-
injury is suspected, unless absolutely cludes the joint above and below the
necessary. fracture site.
+ Always check circulation of the in-
Do not move until injury has been im- jured extremity before and after
mobilized. splinting. Note the color of the skin.
Do not remove shoes, boots, or clothes A splint is probably too tight if a
around a possible fracture. pulse is present before splinting but
not afterwards, or if the color of the
Splinting skin changes. Loosen the splint ties
until the color improves or the pulse
Do not splint a possible broken bone if returns.
doing so causes pain. Splinting is un- + If the victim complains of numbness
necessary if victim can give the bro- or if swelling occurs, loosen the
ken bone sufficient support and immo- splint.
bility.
Closed fracture (broken bone doesnt
penetrate skin)
+ Apply cold compresses directly to
area.
+ Stabilize the injured area. Splint if
necessary.

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2. FIRST AID

Open fracture (broken bone pene- + Cover with sterile dressing.


trates the skin) + Stabilize the injured area. Splint if
+ If necessary, control bleeding by ap- necessary.
plying gentle pressure above the + Monitor and treat for shock.
fracture site.

Bleeding
The seriousness of the wound doesnt Impaled objects
always correspond with the size of the
wound or the amount of blood loss. 1 Stabilize the impaled object to pre-
For example: a small superficial scalp vent any movement.
wound may bleed heavily because of ! Even a small amount of move-
the rich blood supply to the head. ment can cause serious internal
Bleeding from an artery is more seri- damage.
ous and may take longer to stop.
! If required, stabilize with multi-
A certain volume of blood is necessary ple dressings until secure.
to maintain circulation; therefore the
2 To control bleeding, apply direct
victims pulse will weaken as blood is
pressure around the wound.
lost. The important thing for you to do
is stay calm, take steps to control the 3 Get help.
bleeding, and obtain medical assis-
tance as quickly as possible. 4 Monitor and treat victim for shock.

External bleeding Internal bleeding


As a result of injury, medication, and
Signs & symptoms: certain medical conditions, organs
+ Blood may bleed internally, causing pain,
Do not apply a tourniquet loss of consciousness, and even death.
Do not push anything back into the Signs & symptoms:
skin.
+ Nausea
Do not apply ointment or cream. + Cold, clammy skin
Do not remove blood-soaked bandage. + Abdominal pain, tenderness -
+ Bloody vomits or diarrhea (may ap-
What to do for major wounds pear like coffee grounds)
1 Get help. + Loss of consciousness with no visi-
ble cause
2 Elevate injured area. Do not give anything by mouth.
3 Apply gentle, firm, direct pressure What to do
to wound, using clean cloth or ban-
dage for 15 minutes or until bleed- 1 Monitor the ABCs and get help.
ing stops.
2 If not nauseated/vomiting-place
4 If bleeding soaks through ban- victim in shock position.
dages, apply more bandage and
pressure. 3 If vomiting/nauseated-place in re-
covery position.
4 Monitor and treat for shock.

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

Heat exposure
The body functions most effectively teaspoon of salt every 30 min-
within a narrow temperature range. utes until person recovers.
High temperatures increase the bodys
metabolic rate and decrease its effi- 4 Seek medical attention if person
ciency. doesnt continually improve.

Loss of fluid and dilation of blood ves- Heatstroke


sels occur in an attempt to cool down.
The two major medical emergencies Signs & symptoms:
associated with heat exposure are + Hot, dry skin
heat exhaustion and heatstroke.
+ Red or spotted skin
Heat exhaustion + Extremely high body temperature
+ Mental confusion
Signs & symptoms: + Convulsions
+ Sweating; moist, clammy skin + Loss of consciousness
+ Weakness and fatigue Do not give fluids.
+ Nausea, vomiting
Do not give victim aspirin or any
+ Slightly elevated temperature other medication to lower fever.
+ Headache
Do not give victim any stimulant, in-
+ Disorientation cluding alcohol and cigarettes.
Do not give victim any stimulant, in-
cluding alcohol and cigarettes. Do not apply ice directly to skin.

Do not apply ice directly to skin. Do not allow victim to become so cold
that he or she shivers.
Do not allow victim to become so cold
that he or she shivers. Do not leave victim alone.

Do not leave victim alone. What to do

What to do 1 Remove person from heat.

1 Remove victim from heat. 2 Remove victims clothing and place


him or her in a cool bath, if possi-
2 Apply cool, wet cloths. Fan victim. ble. Or apply cool compresses to
Stop if victim develops goose body.
bumps or shivers.
3 Get medical attention immediately.
3 If victim is conscious, give fluids.
! If possible, have victim drink a
mixture of 1 pint water with 1

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2. FIRST AID

Burns
There are three sources of burns: What to do
+ Heat burns-caused by flame or heat.
1 Apply cool, wet compresses, or im-
+ Chemical burns-caused by irritating merse in cool, fresh water. Con-
chemicals. tinue until pain subsides.
+ Electrical burns-caused by an elec-
tric current. 2 Leave uncovered. Protect from dirt
Burns can be painful or painless, ac- and friction.
cording to degree. The severity may 3 Medical attention may not be re-
not be obvious for up to 24 hours, in- quired.
fection may occur if improperly
treated. Second-degree burns
Burns of fingers, genitals, and eyes re-
quire immediate medical attention. Signs & symptoms:
+ Deep reddening of skin
Heat burns + Blisters
Do not peel adhered clothing from + Pain
burn.
What to do
Do not rupture blisters.
1 If a small area is involved, im-
Do not apply ointment, unless in- merse in fresh, cool water (prefera-
structed by medical personnel. bly sterile water). Or apply cool
Do not apply ice directly to burn. compresses. Continue for 15 min-
utes.
Do not chill victim as youre cooling
the area. 2 Dry with clean cloth and cover
with sterile nonadhesive dressing.
What to do
3 Elevate burned area.
1 Stop the burning process by re- 4 Seek medical attention immedi-
moving ignited clothing and all ately.
jewelry from the burn area.
! Some items, such as belts, will Third-degree burns
continue to burn until removed.
! If extremities are burned, re- Signs & symptoms:
move all jewelry beyond the + Damage to all layers of skin, includ-
burn, as swelling may develop ing nerves
and could cause the jewelry to + Painless (because nerves have been
cut off the circulation. damaged)
2 Give first aid for the degree of the + Dry, leathery skin
burn. + Possible charring of skin edges
+ Area often surrounded by first- and
First-degree burns second-degree burns
Signs & symptoms:
+ Redness of skin, pain, and mild
swelling

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

What to do regularly or stop. For example, if a


strong current has entered the hand
1 Monitor the ABCs and get help. and exited through the foot, the cur-
2 Cover burn lightly with sterile rent has probably traveled through vi-
nonadhesive dressing or clean tal organs, resulting in serious injury.
cloth. If you come across an unconscious
3 Elevate burned area higher than person lying near an electrical source,
victims heart. assume that the person is a victim of
electric shock.
4 If face is burned, have person sit
up. Signs & symptoms:
+ Loss of consciousness (sudden)
5 Keep person warm and comfort-
able, and watch for signs of shock. + Weak pulse
+ Impairment or absence of respira-
Chemical burns tion
+ Burns
Before an accident occurs, learn spe-
cific first aid procedures for any haz-
! Two burn-like wounds may be
ardous materials that you may possi- evident-one where the current
bly be exposed to. Check the entered the body and one where
emergency instructions on the con- it left.
tainer or consult the Material Safety Do not touch a victim of electric shock
Data Sheets (MSDS) or the Poison who is still in contact with the source
Control Center. of power, or touch the wire itself -even
an insulated part of the wire.
Signs & symptoms
Do not touch the victim until all wires
+ Red, irritated skin are clear. A live, arcing wire may
+ Burning sensation move, hitting you or someone else.
What to do Do not try to remove a high-voltage
wire from the vicinity of the victim
1 Do not try to neutralize chemical under any circumstances.
burns unless directed by profes-
sionals. What to do

2 Remove any contaminated cloth- 1 Cut the power at the source, if pos-
ing. sible.
3 Quickly flush chemical burns with 2 If you cant turn off the power at
lukewarm water for 20 minutes. the source (and its not a high-volt-
Be sure to wash chemical away age utility wire thats in contact
completely. with the victim), stand on a dry
surface and disconnect victim from
4 All chemical burns, no matter how source of shock, using a long,
minor, require medical attention. nonconductive object, such as a fi-
berglass pole, broom, or rope.
Electrical burns ! Call the buildings maintenance
Electricity can cause paralysis of the department or the utility com-
nerve centers and breathing to stop. pany if a high-voltage wire is in-
Electricity passes through the body volved. Never attempt to remove
from entrance to exit wound, causing it yourself.
damage to any body part in its
path-even causing the heart to beat ir- 3 Monitor the ABCs and get help.

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2. FIRST AID

4 If wounds are evident, cover


wounds with sterile dressing after
source of shock has been removed.

Eye injury
Injuries to the eye-no matter what the cup or similar object that wont
cause requires medical attention. disturb the imbedded object.
When irritated by any substance,
however, the eye should be washed for 2 Cover both eyes to prevent natural
at least 20 minutes before going for movement of injured eye.
medical attention. Eye injuries can be 3 Seek medical attention immedi-
frightening for the victim. Be sure to ately.
calm and assure the victim as best
you can. Cuts of eye or eyelid
Signs & symptoms:
1 Apply cold compresses lightly. Do
+ Pain not apply pressure to eyeball.
+ Excess blinking
2 Get medical attention immediately.
+ Tearing
+ Redness Chemical burns of the eye(s)
+ Visual problems
+ Sensitivity to light 1 Begin flushing immediately.
Do not attempt to remove any object ! Hold the eyelid(s) open and pour
from the eye with any liquid other fresh water over eye(s). Water
than sterile eyewash or clean water. should flow from the inner area
of the eye(s) next to the nose to
Do not delay in washing an irritant
the outer area, to avoid contami-
from the eye.
nation of the other eye.
Do not attempt to pull out any object ! Flush for at least 20 minutes.
stuck in the eyeball.
2 Get medical attention.
Do not rub painful eye(s).

Impaled object in eye


1 Cover object protruding from eye-
ball without touching either the
eye or the object, using a paper

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

Head trauma
The skull is the bony encasement of Do not try to keep person awake.
the brain, which is cushioned by spi-
nal fluid. Direct trauma to the head What to do
may cause many types of injuries, in-
cluding a fractured skull, bleeding of 1 Immobilize neck, if neck injury is
the scalp, or a bruise to the brain. suspected.
2 Monitor the ABCs and get help.
Signs & symptoms:
+ Headache, dizziness 3 Control bleeding.
+ Bump on head 4 Watch for signs of serious head
+ Nausea, vomiting trauma:
+ Fluid seeping from ear and nose ! increasing sleepiness
+ Sleepiness ! projectile vomiting
+ Inappropriate behavior ! seizures
+ Unequal pupils ! loss of function of body parts.
Do not move head. This can worsen
5 Keep victim calm and still until
spinal injury.
help arrives.
Do not give anything by mouth.

Poisoning
Poisoning may be accidental or inten- What to do
tional. Drugs, chemicals, and house-
hold cleaners are all potential poisons. 1 Call Poison Control Center before
Children are the most common vic- you do anything.
tims of accidental poisoning. Adults ! Dont rely on the containers la-
sometimes use poison to end their bel to give you current informa-
lives. A poison or toxin can affect the tion.
individual through skin contact, inha-
lation, or ingestion. 2 Poison Control Center will want to
know:
Signs & symptoms: ! The type of ingested or inhaled
+ Nausea, vomiting poison
+ Headache ! Age of victim
+ Altered consciousness ! Estimated dose and time taken
+ Abdominal pain (if ingested) ! Victims condition
+ Local irritation at site of exposure 3 Follow Poison Control Centers in-
(eye, skin, airway) structions.
Do not give fluids to victim who isnt
totally conscious. For inhalation poisoning
Do not force vomiting unless in-
structed to by a physician or the Poi- 1 Shut off source of gas or vapors be-
son Control Center. fore entering area or take other
precautions, such as wearing the
Do not assume everyone wants to get proper respirator or face mask to
well. Dont leave victim alone if at- protect yourself from exposure.
tempted suicide is suspected.
2 Move victim to fresh air.

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2. FIRST AID

3 Monitor the abcs and get help. 3 Contact a doctor!


4 Seek medical attention immedi-
ately. Ammoniaeye contact
Signs & symptoms:
Ammoniainhalation + The vapours effect irritating and a
Signs & symptoms: splash in the eye causes smart,
flood of tears and corrosion injuries
+ The vapours effect irritating on res- sometimes followed by stunning.
piration and can cause the nose and
throat to smart. Other symptoms + The solvent corrodes strongly on the
are: flood of tears, sneezing, cough- eyes and may cause severe damage
ing, cramp and difficulty in breath- to the eyes. The risk of total blind-
ing. ness or lasting wounds is consider-
able.
+ At high concentrations there is risk
of unconsciousness. This can occur + At repetitious and long lasting expo-
several hours after the exposure sure to ammonia vapours, the eyes
and can cause lasting injuries in re- and eyelids can get flamed.
spiratory organs. What to do
What to do
1 Immediately rinse with large
1 Remove the injured from the dan- amounts of water for 15-30 min-
ger zone. utes (spread the eyelids widely).

2 Have the injured to blow his nose 2 After that, immediately to a hospi-
thoroughly. tal, eye specialist.

3 Rinse nose and mouth with water. 3 Keep rinsing on the way to eye
specialist. An eye injury demands
4 Provide the injured with fresh air, early initiated and long lasting
warmth and rest, preferably in a rinsing of the eye. Which will con-
comfortable half-sitting position. tinue at the eye specialist.
5 If required, give aspiration aid, ox-
ygen. Ammoniaconsumption
6 Contact a doctor! Signs & symptoms:
+ Consumption causes smart, corro-
Ammoniaskin contact sion injuries, pain in the chest, vom-
iting and possibly a shock.
Signs & symptoms: + Even at consumption of small
+ At skin contact a corrosion injury amounts of ammonia solvents, cor-
with smart, redness and wounds rosion injuries can arise.
may arise. + The risk of lasting pains in esopha-
gus and stomach is considerable.
What to do
What to do
1 Immediately rinse with a large
amount of water, inside the clothes 1 Give the injured a few glasses of
if necessary. milk (half a liter) or water if the
2 Remove clothes that are splashed injured is at full consciousness.
all over and rinse the underneath 2 Do not cause vomiting!
skin.
3 Contact a doctor!

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GENERAL MANUAL_GM, Part 1 Safety and first aid

Shock
Any serious injury or illness can re- + Coldness of extremities
sult in shock, which is a life-threaten- + Thirst, dryness in mouth
ing condition. The bodys response can + Profuse sweating
occur quickly or gradually. Shock is a
failure of the heart and blood vessels + Cold, clammy skin
to provide enough oxygen to every + Blue lips, pale nail beds
part of the body. Without oxygen, the Do not elevate if leg injury is sus-
various body systems-especially the pected.
heart, brain, and the kidneys- will be-
gin to slow down, and ultimately die. Do not give victim anything to eat or
The degree of shock is determined by drink.
a number of factors, including: What to do
+ Age (especially in the very young
and very old) 1 Check and monitor the ABCs. Get
+ Victims general health help.
+ Excessive fatigue 2 Place in shock position (seen be-
+ Rough handling low)
+ Delayed treatment
Signs and symptoms:
+ Restlessness
+ Mental confusion
+ Pale skin
+ Rapid pulse
+ Rapid shallow breathing

Spinal injury
A spinal injury isnt always obvious. What to do
Suspect one when there has been a
fall or other major force against the 1 If victim is in imminent danger,
body. use clothes-drag technique to move
victim to safety.
Signs & symptoms: ! Immobilize the head in the posi-
+ back or neck pain tion found.
+ Any trauma to head or face ! Use blankets, clothing, or any
+ Loss of sensation and function of ex- other available materials to hold
tremities head firmly with your hands.
Do not move victim unless theres a 2 Get help.
danger of fire, explosion, or other life
threatening incident. 3 Calm and reassure victim until
help arrives.
Do not put pillow under victims head.
Do not give victim anything to eat or
drink.

Doc id: WDAAA153292 - 2-15


2. FIRST AID

2-16 Doc id: WDAAA153292 -

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