Medical Services and First Aid

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29 CFR 1910.151

This OSHA standard regulates medical services and first aid.  It is a short standard that requires that medical personnel be available, but not necessarily on-site, for advice and consultation on matters of plant health.

If a hospital, clinic, or infirmary is not close to the workplace (OSHA has defined ‘close’ as within three to four minutes by road) then someone on each shift must be trained to give first aid treatment to any injured employee.  In order to give adequate first aid, OSHA requires that first aid supplies, approved by the consulting physician, be readily available on-site.  Those employees trained in first aid (first aid responders) should also be trained on bloodborne diseases.  OSHA has a standard that covers bloodborne diseases with which the employer is required to comply if there are employees designated as first aid responders.  (For more information, see the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) safety and health factsheet about bloodborne pathogens).

If there is the possibility of an employee coming into contact with a corrosive material either on the body or in the eyes, there should be an emergency drench shower and an eyewash station available to rinse the corrosives off the body or out of the eyes.  These drenching/flushing facilities should be located within the work area and be available for immediate use.