Before you start
Accidents and sudden illness can happen at any workplace, from offices to mines and construction sites. Organisations that plan ahead respond faster and protect their people better. This handbook helps workplace first aiders and managers prepare, respond and follow up.
By the end of this course you will be able to:
- Understand the role and limits of a workplace first aider
- Assess first aid needs and stock suitable kits
- Build and practise an emergency response plan
- Manage common workplace injuries
- Record and report incidents properly
- Look after yourself and colleagues after an incident
Chapter 1
The workplace first aider
- Give immediate first aid within your training, using the primary survey (DRS ABC).
- Call emergency services early and send someone to meet the ambulance at the entrance.
- Know where kits, AEDs, eyewash stations and emergency exits are.
- Keep records of every treatment you give.
- Respect privacy. Medical information is confidential.
Chapter 2
Assessing your first aid needs
Every workplace is different. Think about:
- Hazards: machinery, vehicles, heights, chemicals, electricity, heat, hot liquids.
- People: how many staff, shift patterns, lone workers, visitors and the public.
- Location: distance to the nearest hospital and expected ambulance response time.
- History: accidents and near misses that have happened before.
Use the answers to decide how many trained first aiders you need on every shift, what kits and equipment to provide (including an AED), and where to put them.
Workplace kit additions
- Large trauma dressings and a tourniquet for high-risk sites
- Eyewash and eye pads where chemicals or dust are present
- Burn dressings where there is heat or hot liquid
- Foil blankets
- An AED, clearly signposted
- A first aid record book
Check kits monthly, replace used items straight away and remove expired stock.
Chapter 3
Emergency response plan
- Raise the alarm: who calls emergency services and how? Display the numbers 926 and 997 by every phone and in every kit.
- Give the location clearly: the site address, the entrance to use, and a landmark.
- Meet the ambulance: send someone to the gate to guide paramedics in.
- Control the scene: stop work in the area, isolate machinery or power, keep bystanders back.
- Evacuate if needed: exit routes, assembly points, roll-call and people who need help to leave.
- Communicate: inform management and next of kin as appropriate.
Chapter 4
Common workplace injuries
| Injury | Key first aid |
|---|---|
| Cuts and severe bleeding | Direct pressure, dressing, tourniquet for life-threatening limb bleeding |
| Amputation | Control bleeding. Wrap the part in a clean dressing, seal in a plastic bag, then place on ice (never directly on ice). Send it with the casualty. |
| Crush injury | Call for help. Free the person if safe and quick. Control bleeding, watch for shock. |
| Eye injury | Chemicals: rinse with clean running water for at least 20 minutes. Foreign object: do not rub; cover both eyes and get help. |
| Burns (heat, chemical, electrical) | Make the scene safe, then cool with running water for 20 minutes and cover with cling film. |
| Electric shock | Switch off the power before touching. Check breathing and start CPR if needed. |
| Falls from height | Assume a spinal injury. Keep them still and support the head. |
| Heat illness | Move to shade, cool down, give fluids. Heatstroke is an emergency. |
For full guidance on each of these, see the Basic First Aid handbook.
Chapter 5
Recording and reporting
Record every incident and treatment, however small. Good records help prevent repeat accidents and protect both workers and the employer.
- Date, time and exact location
- Name of the injured or ill person
- What happened and what the injury or illness was
- First aid given and by whom
- What happened next: returned to work, sent home, sent to clinic or hospital
Serious injuries, dangerous occurrences and work-related illnesses may need to be reported to the authorities. Check the requirements of Botswana's workplace health and safety regulations and your industry regulator.
Chapter 6
After an incident
- Restock kits and the AED (replace pads) immediately.
- Clean up blood and body fluids safely, using gloves and disinfectant. Dispose of waste in sealed bags.
- Investigate what happened and fix the cause.
- Debrief the people involved. Talk about what went well and what could improve.
- Support wellbeing. Witnessing a serious incident can be distressing. Check on first aiders and colleagues in the days afterwards, and offer counselling if needed.
Review
Check your knowledge
Try to answer each question before revealing the answer.
1Name three things to consider when assessing first aid needs.
Any three of: hazards, number of people and shifts, lone workers, distance to hospital, accident history.
2Why should someone meet the ambulance at the entrance?
To guide paramedics straight to the casualty and save time.
3How should you transport an amputated part?
Wrap it in a clean dressing, seal it in a plastic bag and place it on ice, never directly on ice.
4What must you do before touching someone who has had an electric shock?
Switch off the power supply.
5What should a first aid record include?
Date, time, location, name, what happened, first aid given, by whom, and the outcome.
6How often should you run emergency drills?
At least twice a year.
Ready to practise?
This handbook goes with our hands-on Workplace First Aid & Emergency Response course, taught by Botsogo Pele EMS certified EMTs.
Book a course: +267 397 2684 · +267 7158 1075 · [email protected]
WhatsApp: +267 7158 1075 (wa.me/26771581075)
Emergency: call 926 (Botsogo Pele EMS) or 997 (national ambulance).