Emergency Procedures, First Aid and Incident Reporting
Being ready
Emergency procedures cover fire, explosion, major collapse, entrapment, chemical spill, and serious injury. Workers must know the alarm signals, escape routes, assembly points, and who the first aiders and emergency responders are. Drills must be carried out and reviewed. In remote quarries, the plan must account for access by emergency services and for lone or isolated workers.
First aid
Know the location of first aid kits, defibrillators and trained first aiders. Priorities: make the area safe before approaching, assess the casualty, call for help, and give appropriate aid within your training. Never move a casualty with suspected spinal injury unless there is immediate danger.
Reporting
All injuries, near misses, dangerous occurrences and defects are reported promptly. Records allow investigation and prevention. Serious incidents may be reportable to the regulator under RIDDOR-type rules; the site's procedure defines who reports and how. Preserve the scene where possible.
Traps
- Rescuing a casualty by entering a confined space or unstable ground without protection creates a second casualty - the classic exam trap.
- "It was only a near miss" is not a reason to stay silent.
- An alarm that nobody recognises is not a control: drills and briefings matter.
Worked example
A worker collapses inside a sump. Do not climb in. Raise the alarm, isolate hazards, and use the confined-space rescue plan with trained rescuers and equipment.