First Aid Precautions for Infectious Disease Contamination:

At some point in your career you will probably encounter and injured and/or bleeding employee. The natural response is to quickly respond.  But before responding, stop and think.

Blood borne diseases such as Hepatitis and AIDS are transmitted by saliva to blood or blood to blood contact. Many people can be affected and not even know it because of the long incubation period for these diseases.

You should always protect yourself first by following the Universal Precautions as outlined by OSHA when there is a possibility of coming in contact with bodily fluids.

Here are some basic tips to follow:

Protect yourself when issuing first aid:

Wear glasses or a face mask when if there is a chance of splattering. Wear rubber or latex gloves, even small cuts can provide entry for bacteria and this protects both you and the injured person.  When providing mouth to mouth resuscitation, always use a disposable micro-shield to prevent saliva transfer.

Have a well stocked First Aid Kit on hand.

All first aid kits must be supplied with sanitary disposable gloves, a disposable micro-shield or such device, glasses or protective face shield, and basic ANSI recommended items to administer proper first aid treatment.

Basic housekeeping:

Always wash your hands and any exposed skin with warm soapy water. Clean up the work area by using a mild soap with a 10:1 chlorine bleach solution to clean up any spill. Dispose of any contaminated clothes or material in a proper leak proof plastic bag and labeled with a blood borne pathogen caution label. Hep-Aid Kits are readily available.

Training:

There should be someone on staff trained as a “First Responder”. A First Responders Medical Kit can be useful by taking the first aid treatments to the victim.

The American Red Cross and other firms offer training for this as well as other programs that can help you be prepared for any emergency.

For more information please call 866-362-2691 or e-mail us at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit our website at www.westernfirstaid.com