Emergency First Aid at Work cheat sheet

Primary aims in order: preserve life, prevent deterioration, promote recovery - life-threatening problems are always treated before minor ones.

The first aider's legal duty is to act within their training and competence; giving aid beyond training (e.g. administering prescription drugs) can create liability.

Consent must be sought from a conscious casualty before touching them; for an unresponsive casualty, consent is presumed to be implied as a life-saving necessity.

A first aider may act to save life but must not move a casualty with a suspected spinal injury unless there is an immediate danger such as fire or traffic.

The employer's duty under health and safety law includes providing adequate first-aid personnel, equipment and facilities based on a documented risk assessment.

Emergency first aiders are typically expected to cover the workplace during their working hours only; they are not obliged to provide cover outside those hours.

Confidentiality: casualty details and medical information must be shared only with those who need to know, such as emergency services or the employer's record keeper.

Personal safety comes first: a first aider who becomes a casualty reduces the number of rescuers, so hazards must be assessed before approaching.

Records should be completed as soon as practicable after the incident, while details are fresh, and ideally before the end of the shift.

A first-aid record typically includes date, time, place, casualty name and contact details, details of injury or illness, treatment given, and the signature of the first aider.

Records are kept securely and retained for a period set by the employer's policy or legal requirements; access is limited to authorised persons.

Accurate, factual, objective language should be used - record what was observed and done, not opinions or speculation about cause.

Any refusal of treatment by a conscious casualty should be recorded, along with the fact that the casualty was advised to seek further medical help.

Records support legal defence, insurance claims, and identification of workplace hazards and trends that inform risk assessments.

The casualty has a right to see information recorded about them, so records must be written as if the casualty might read them.

Reporting to the employer or responsible person should follow the incident promptly, in addition to completing the written record.

Primary survey sequence: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation (DRABC) - always completed before any secondary assessment.

Check response using the AVPU scale: Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive.

Airway check: look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds; a casualty who is not breathing normally should be treated as cardiac arrest.

Agonal gasping is not normal breathing and must be treated as cardiac arrest - start CPR and send for an AED.

Secondary survey follows only when life-threatening problems are managed: history (SAMPLE), vital signs, head-to-toe check for injuries.

SAMPLE history: Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last meal, Events leading to the incident.

Reassessment should be repeated regularly, especially if the casualty's condition changes, and any deterioration triggers a return to the primary survey.

A conscious casualty should be assessed in the position found, with minimal movement, to avoid aggravating suspected injuries.

Before approaching, scan for hazards: traffic, fire, electricity, water, chemicals, unstable structures, and aggressive persons or animals.

The emergency number in the UK is 999 or 112; both connect to the same emergency services.

When calling for help, give location, the nature of the emergency, the number of casualties, and any hazards; stay on the line until told to hang up.

If alone with an unresponsive, non-breathing adult, call for help on speakerphone and start CPR immediately; for a child or drowning casualty, give about one minute of CPR first if no phone is available.

Send a bystander to meet and direct the ambulance, and to clear access routes; note the exact address, postcode and access points.

Never enter an unsafe environment to reach a casualty; move the casualty only if the scene is unsafe and movement is possible without further harm.

Use barriers such as gloves, and avoid contact with body fluids; if a barrier is unavailable, improvise with a clean plastic bag or ask the casualty to self-direct where possible.

Record the time help was called and the time emergency services arrived, as these are useful for the incident record and handover.

The recovery position is used for an unresponsive casualty who is breathing normally and has no suspected spinal injury requiring immobilisation.

Aim: keep the airway open and prevent the tongue from falling back, and allow fluids or vomit to drain from the mouth.

Technique for an adult: place the near arm at right angles, bring the far arm across the chest with the back of the hand against the near cheek, bend the far knee, and roll the casualty towards you.

Tilt the head slightly back and ensure the mouth is lower than the airway to allow drainage; check breathing regularly.

Do not use the recovery position for a casualty with a suspected spinal injury unless the airway is at risk and no alternative exists.

For a pregnant casualty, place on the left side to relieve pressure on the inferior vena cava.

For an infant, hold the baby in a face-down position along the forearm with the head lower than the body, supporting the head and neck.

Monitor breathing continuously and be prepared to start CPR if breathing stops or becomes abnormal.

Adult CPR: 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100–120 per minute, depth 5–6 cm, followed by 2 rescue breaths; repeat cycles of 30:2.

Child CPR: 30 compressions (depth about one third of chest depth) then 2 breaths; infant CPR uses two fingers for compressions and gentle puffs for breaths.

Compression point: centre of the chest, on the lower half of the sternum; allow full recoil between compressions and minimise interruptions.

AED use: switch on, attach pads to bare chest, follow voice prompts, ensure no one touches the casualty during analysis and delivery of a shock.

AED pads for an adult: one below the right collarbone and one on the left side below the armpit; for a child, use paediatric pads or attenuators if available, otherwise adult pads.

Choking adult or child: encourage coughing; if ineffective, give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades, then up to 5 abdominal thrusts, alternating.

Infant choking: up to 5 back blows followed by up to 5 chest thrusts (not abdominal thrusts) using two fingers on the lower sternum.

If a choking casualty becomes unresponsive, call 999, lower them to the floor and start CPR; check the mouth for visible obstructions but do not perform blind finger sweeps.

Apply direct pressure to the wound with a sterile dressing or clean non-fluffy material, and elevate the limb if no fracture is suspected.

If bleeding soaks through, add further dressings on top rather than removing the original, and maintain pressure.

A tourniquet may be used for catastrophic limb bleeding when direct pressure fails; note the time applied and do not cover it.

Do not remove embedded objects from a wound; apply pressure around the object and pad around it.

Signs of shock: pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, fast shallow breathing, thirst, restlessness, anxiety, and a falling level of consciousness.

Manage shock by laying the casualty down, raising the legs (unless injury or fracture prevents it), keeping them warm with a blanket, and not giving food or drink.

Shock is a life-threatening emergency; call 999 immediately and monitor breathing continuously, being ready to start CPR.

Nosebleed: sit the casualty forward, pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 minutes, and advise them not to swallow blood; seek help if bleeding persists beyond 20 minutes.

Minor cuts and grazes: clean with running water or saline, pat dry, apply a sterile adhesive dressing; check tetanus cover if the wound is dirty or deep.

Bruises: apply a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in cloth for up to 20 minutes to reduce swelling; never place ice directly on skin.

Minor burns and scalds: cool with running cool water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery and clothing near the burn unless stuck to the skin, and cover with cling film or a sterile non-adherent dressing.

Do not apply butter, ointments, ice or cotton wool to a burn, and do not burst blisters.

Seek medical advice for burns larger than the casualty's palm, burns to the face, hands, feet, genitals or across joints, and for electrical or chemical burns.

Chemical burns: brush off dry chemicals first, then irrigate with copious running water for at least 20 minutes and call 999.

A wound that will not stop bleeding, is deep, gaping, or contains embedded material should be referred for medical assessment rather than treated as minor.

Record all minor injury treatments and advise the casualty to seek further help if signs of infection such as redness, swelling or pus develop.

Asthma: casualty is wheezing, breathless, may use reliever inhaler; help them sit upright, assist with their own inhaler, and call 999 if no improvement or the casualty is exhausted.

Anaphylaxis: swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, widespread rash, and rapid deterioration; help the casualty use their adrenaline auto-injector (typically into the outer thigh) and call 999 immediately.

Heart attack: central crushing chest pain radiating to the arm, jaw or back, with sweating, nausea and breathlessness; sit the casualty down, call 999, and give aspirin 300 mg if conscious and not allergic.

Stroke: use FAST - Face droop, Arm weakness, Speech disturbance, Time to call 999; note the time symptoms began and do not give food or drink.

Diabetes: hypoglycaemia causes confusion, sweating, trembling and hunger; if conscious, give a sugary drink or glucose and recheck; if unresponsive, place in the recovery position and call 999.

Seizures: protect the casualty from injury, cushion the head, do not restrain or put anything in the mouth; after the seizure, place in the recovery position and monitor breathing.

Call 999 for a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, repeated seizures, a first-ever seizure, or if the casualty is injured or does not regain consciousness.

For any medical emergency, keep the casualty calm, monitor airway and breathing, and be ready to start CPR if they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally.

A basic workplace first-aid kit typically contains sterile adhesive dressings, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, medium and large sterile dressings, and disposable gloves.

Additional items commonly included: a resuscitation face shield, foil blanket, conforming bandage, scissors, cleansing wipes, and a first-aid guidance leaflet.

Kits should be checked regularly, stock replaced after use, and the contents tailored to the workplace risk assessment (e.g. burns kit in kitchens).

Hands should be washed with soap and water or cleaned with alcohol gel before and after giving first aid.

Disposable gloves should be worn whenever contact with blood or body fluids is possible; gloves are single-use and must be disposed of safely after use.

Sharps and contaminated waste should be placed in a sharps container or double-bagged clinical waste, not in ordinary waste bins.

If a rescuer is exposed to blood or body fluids, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, encourage bleeding from a puncture, and seek medical advice promptly.

Resuscitation face shields or pocket masks reduce the risk of cross-infection during rescue breaths; CPR should not be withheld solely because a barrier is unavailable.

Primary aims in order: preserve life, prevent deterioration, promote recovery - life-threatening problems are always treated before minor ones.

The first aider's legal duty is to act within their training and competence; giving aid beyond training (e.g. administering prescription drugs) can create liability.

Consent must be sought from a conscious casualty before touching them; for an unresponsive casualty, consent is presumed to be implied as a life-saving necessity.

A first aider may act to save life but must not move a casualty with a suspected spinal injury unless there is an immediate danger such as fire or traffic.

The employer's duty under health and safety law includes providing adequate first-aid personnel, equipment and facilities based on a documented risk assessment.

Emergency first aiders are typically expected to cover the workplace during their working hours only; they are not obliged to provide cover outside those hours.

Confidentiality: casualty details and medical information must be shared only with those who need to know, such as emergency services or the employer's record keeper.

Personal safety comes first: a first aider who becomes a casualty reduces the number of rescuers, so hazards must be assessed before approaching.

Records should be completed as soon as practicable after the incident, while details are fresh, and ideally before the end of the shift.

A first-aid record typically includes date, time, place, casualty name and contact details, details of injury or illness, treatment given, and the signature of the first aider.

Records are kept securely and retained for a period set by the employer's policy or legal requirements; access is limited to authorised persons.

Accurate, factual, objective language should be used - record what was observed and done, not opinions or speculation about cause.

Any refusal of treatment by a conscious casualty should be recorded, along with the fact that the casualty was advised to seek further medical help.

Records support legal defence, insurance claims, and identification of workplace hazards and trends that inform risk assessments.

The casualty has a right to see information recorded about them, so records must be written as if the casualty might read them.

Reporting to the employer or responsible person should follow the incident promptly, in addition to completing the written record.

Primary survey sequence: Danger, Response, Airway, Breathing, Circulation (DRABC) - always completed before any secondary assessment.

Check response using the AVPU scale: Alert, responds to Voice, responds to Pain, Unresponsive.

Airway check: look, listen and feel for breathing for no more than 10 seconds; a casualty who is not breathing normally should be treated as cardiac arrest.

Agonal gasping is not normal breathing and must be treated as cardiac arrest - start CPR and send for an AED.

Secondary survey follows only when life-threatening problems are managed: history (SAMPLE), vital signs, head-to-toe check for injuries.

SAMPLE history: Signs and symptoms, Allergies, Medications, Past medical history, Last meal, Events leading to the incident.

Reassessment should be repeated regularly, especially if the casualty's condition changes, and any deterioration triggers a return to the primary survey.

A conscious casualty should be assessed in the position found, with minimal movement, to avoid aggravating suspected injuries.

Before approaching, scan for hazards: traffic, fire, electricity, water, chemicals, unstable structures, and aggressive persons or animals.

The emergency number in the UK is 999 or 112; both connect to the same emergency services.

When calling for help, give location, the nature of the emergency, the number of casualties, and any hazards; stay on the line until told to hang up.

If alone with an unresponsive, non-breathing adult, call for help on speakerphone and start CPR immediately; for a child or drowning casualty, give about one minute of CPR first if no phone is available.

Send a bystander to meet and direct the ambulance, and to clear access routes; note the exact address, postcode and access points.

Never enter an unsafe environment to reach a casualty; move the casualty only if the scene is unsafe and movement is possible without further harm.

Use barriers such as gloves, and avoid contact with body fluids; if a barrier is unavailable, improvise with a clean plastic bag or ask the casualty to self-direct where possible.

Record the time help was called and the time emergency services arrived, as these are useful for the incident record and handover.

The recovery position is used for an unresponsive casualty who is breathing normally and has no suspected spinal injury requiring immobilisation.

Aim: keep the airway open and prevent the tongue from falling back, and allow fluids or vomit to drain from the mouth.

Technique for an adult: place the near arm at right angles, bring the far arm across the chest with the back of the hand against the near cheek, bend the far knee, and roll the casualty towards you.

Tilt the head slightly back and ensure the mouth is lower than the airway to allow drainage; check breathing regularly.

Do not use the recovery position for a casualty with a suspected spinal injury unless the airway is at risk and no alternative exists.

For a pregnant casualty, place on the left side to relieve pressure on the inferior vena cava.

For an infant, hold the baby in a face-down position along the forearm with the head lower than the body, supporting the head and neck.

Monitor breathing continuously and be prepared to start CPR if breathing stops or becomes abnormal.

Adult CPR: 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100–120 per minute, depth 5–6 cm, followed by 2 rescue breaths; repeat cycles of 30:2.

Child CPR: 30 compressions (depth about one third of chest depth) then 2 breaths; infant CPR uses two fingers for compressions and gentle puffs for breaths.

Compression point: centre of the chest, on the lower half of the sternum; allow full recoil between compressions and minimise interruptions.

AED use: switch on, attach pads to bare chest, follow voice prompts, ensure no one touches the casualty during analysis and delivery of a shock.

AED pads for an adult: one below the right collarbone and one on the left side below the armpit; for a child, use paediatric pads or attenuators if available, otherwise adult pads.

Choking adult or child: encourage coughing; if ineffective, give up to 5 back blows between the shoulder blades, then up to 5 abdominal thrusts, alternating.

Infant choking: up to 5 back blows followed by up to 5 chest thrusts (not abdominal thrusts) using two fingers on the lower sternum.

If a choking casualty becomes unresponsive, call 999, lower them to the floor and start CPR; check the mouth for visible obstructions but do not perform blind finger sweeps.

Apply direct pressure to the wound with a sterile dressing or clean non-fluffy material, and elevate the limb if no fracture is suspected.

If bleeding soaks through, add further dressings on top rather than removing the original, and maintain pressure.

A tourniquet may be used for catastrophic limb bleeding when direct pressure fails; note the time applied and do not cover it.

Do not remove embedded objects from a wound; apply pressure around the object and pad around it.

Signs of shock: pale, cold, clammy skin, rapid weak pulse, fast shallow breathing, thirst, restlessness, anxiety, and a falling level of consciousness.

Manage shock by laying the casualty down, raising the legs (unless injury or fracture prevents it), keeping them warm with a blanket, and not giving food or drink.

Shock is a life-threatening emergency; call 999 immediately and monitor breathing continuously, being ready to start CPR.

Nosebleed: sit the casualty forward, pinch the soft part of the nose for 10 minutes, and advise them not to swallow blood; seek help if bleeding persists beyond 20 minutes.

Minor cuts and grazes: clean with running water or saline, pat dry, apply a sterile adhesive dressing; check tetanus cover if the wound is dirty or deep.

Bruises: apply a cold compress or ice pack wrapped in cloth for up to 20 minutes to reduce swelling; never place ice directly on skin.

Minor burns and scalds: cool with running cool water for at least 20 minutes, remove jewellery and clothing near the burn unless stuck to the skin, and cover with cling film or a sterile non-adherent dressing.

Do not apply butter, ointments, ice or cotton wool to a burn, and do not burst blisters.

Seek medical advice for burns larger than the casualty's palm, burns to the face, hands, feet, genitals or across joints, and for electrical or chemical burns.

Chemical burns: brush off dry chemicals first, then irrigate with copious running water for at least 20 minutes and call 999.

A wound that will not stop bleeding, is deep, gaping, or contains embedded material should be referred for medical assessment rather than treated as minor.

Record all minor injury treatments and advise the casualty to seek further help if signs of infection such as redness, swelling or pus develop.

Asthma: casualty is wheezing, breathless, may use reliever inhaler; help them sit upright, assist with their own inhaler, and call 999 if no improvement or the casualty is exhausted.

Anaphylaxis: swelling of the face, lips or throat, difficulty breathing, widespread rash, and rapid deterioration; help the casualty use their adrenaline auto-injector (typically into the outer thigh) and call 999 immediately.

Heart attack: central crushing chest pain radiating to the arm, jaw or back, with sweating, nausea and breathlessness; sit the casualty down, call 999, and give aspirin 300 mg if conscious and not allergic.

Stroke: use FAST - Face droop, Arm weakness, Speech disturbance, Time to call 999; note the time symptoms began and do not give food or drink.

Diabetes: hypoglycaemia causes confusion, sweating, trembling and hunger; if conscious, give a sugary drink or glucose and recheck; if unresponsive, place in the recovery position and call 999.

Seizures: protect the casualty from injury, cushion the head, do not restrain or put anything in the mouth; after the seizure, place in the recovery position and monitor breathing.

Call 999 for a seizure lasting more than 5 minutes, repeated seizures, a first-ever seizure, or if the casualty is injured or does not regain consciousness.

For any medical emergency, keep the casualty calm, monitor airway and breathing, and be ready to start CPR if they become unresponsive and stop breathing normally.

A basic workplace first-aid kit typically contains sterile adhesive dressings, sterile eye pads, triangular bandages, safety pins, medium and large sterile dressings, and disposable gloves.

Additional items commonly included: a resuscitation face shield, foil blanket, conforming bandage, scissors, cleansing wipes, and a first-aid guidance leaflet.

Kits should be checked regularly, stock replaced after use, and the contents tailored to the workplace risk assessment (e.g. burns kit in kitchens).

Hands should be washed with soap and water or cleaned with alcohol gel before and after giving first aid.

Disposable gloves should be worn whenever contact with blood or body fluids is possible; gloves are single-use and must be disposed of safely after use.

Sharps and contaminated waste should be placed in a sharps container or double-bagged clinical waste, not in ordinary waste bins.

If a rescuer is exposed to blood or body fluids, wash the area thoroughly with soap and water, encourage bleeding from a puncture, and seek medical advice promptly.

Resuscitation face shields or pocket masks reduce the risk of cross-infection during rescue breaths; CPR should not be withheld solely because a barrier is unavailable.