HTM 038 LEC 2

FIRST AID SUPPLIES

First aid supplies refer to items and equipment used to give emergency treatment notably:

 First aid kit

 Fire extinguishers
 First manuals
 Food supplies

1.First aid kit

A first aid kit is a collection of supplies and equipment that is used to give medical treatment.

The type of first aid required in a workplace are determined by many factors, such as:

 the laws and regulation of the state or territory in which it is located;

 the type of industry concerned; for example, industries such as mining may have specific industry
regulations detailing specialized instructions;
 the type of hazards presents in the workplace;
 the number of employees in the workplace;
 the number of different locations that the workplace is spread over;
 the proximity to local services (doctors, hospital, ambulance)

There is a wide variation in the contents of first aid which include:

Adhesive bandage
An adhesive bandage, also called a sticking plaster, medical plaster, or simply plaster is a small
medical dressing used for injuries not serious enough to require a full-size bandage. They are also known
by the genericized trademarks of Band-Aid (as "band-aid" or "band aid" in the US and Australia) or
Elastoplast
(in the UK)
The adhesive bandage protects the wound and scab from friction, bacteria, damage, and dirt. Thus, the
healing process of the body is less disturbed. Some of the dressings have antiseptic properties. An
additional function is to hold the two cut ends of the skin together to make the healing process faster
Moleskin
Moleskin is a heavy cotton fabric, woven and then sheared to create a short, soft pile on one side. The
word is also used for clothing made from this fabric, as well as adhesive pads stuck to the skin to prevent
blisters
A dressing
A dressing is a sterile pad or compress applied to a wound to promote healing and protect the wound
from further harm. A dressing is designed to be in direct contact with the wound, as distinguished from a
bandage, which is most often used to hold a dressing in place. Many modern dressings are self-adhesive

Medical uses

A dressing can have a number of purposes, depending on the type, severity and position of the wound,
although all purposes are focused towards promoting recovery and protecting from further harm. Key
purposes of a dressing are:

 Stem bleeding – to help to seal the wound to expedite the clotting process;
 Protection from infection – to defend the wound against germs and mechanical damage;
 Absorb exudate – to soak up blood, plasma, and other fluids exuded from the wound, containing
it/them in one place and preventing maceration;
 Ease pain – either by a medicated analgesic effect, compression or simply preventing pain from
further trauma;
 Debride the wound – to remove slough and foreign objects from the wound to expedite healing;
 Reduce psychological stress – to obscure a healing wound from the view of the patient and others

Bandages

A bandage is a piece of material used either to support a medical device such as a dressing or
splint, or on its own to provide support to or to restrict the movement of a part of the body. When
used with a dressing, the dressing is applied directly on a wound, and a bandage used to hold the
dressing in place. Other bandages are used without dressings, such as elastic bandages that are
used to reduce swelling or provide support to a sprained ankle. Tight bandages can be used to
slow blood flow to an extremity, such as when a leg or arm is bleeding heavily

Types of bandages

 Gauze roller bandages - absorbent, breathable, and often elastic

 Elastic bandages - used for sprains, and pressure bandages
 Adhesive, elastic roller bandages (commonly called 'Vet wrap') - very effective pressure bandages
and durable, waterproof bandaging
 Triangular bandages - used as slings, tourniquets, to tie splints, and many other uses

Saline (medicine)

Saline, also known as saline solution, is a mixture of sodium chloride in water and has a number of uses
in medicine

 Applied to the affected area it is used to clean wounds

 Help remove contact lenses, and help with dry eyes.
 By injection into a vein it is used to treat dehydration such as from gastroenteritis and diabetic
ketoacidosis.
  It is also used to dilute other medications to be given by injection.
 It is most commonly used as a sterile

 Large amounts may result in fluid overload, swelling, acidosis, and high blood sodium.

Antiseptics

Antiseptics are antimicrobial substances that are applied to living tissue/skin to reduce the possibility of
infection, sepsis, or putrefaction. Antiseptics are generally distinguished from antibiotics by the latter's
ability to safely destroy bacteria within the body, and from disinfectants, which destroy microorganisms
found on non-living objects.

Some antiseptics are true germicides, capable of destroying microbes (bactericidal), while others are
bacteriostatic and only prevent or inhibit their growth.

Antibacterial include antiseptics that have the proven ability to act against bacteria. Microbicides which
destroy virus particles are called viricides or antivirals. Antifungals, also known as an antimycotics, are
pharmaceutical fungicides used to treat and prevent mycosis (fungal infection)

Some common antiseptics

 Alcohols, including ethanol and 2-propanol/isopropanol are sometimes referred to as surgical

spirit. They are used to disinfect the skin before injections are given, among other uses.
 Chlorhexidine gluconate is used as a skin antiseptic and to treat inflammation of the gums
(gingivitis).
 Chloroxylenol is an antiseptic and disinfectant which is used for skin disinfection and cleaning
surgical instruments. It is also used within a number of household disinfectants and wound
cleaners.
 Hydrogen peroxide is used as a 6% (20 Vols) solution to clean and deodorize wounds and ulcers.
More commonly, 3% solutions of hydrogen peroxide have been used in household first aid for
scrapes, etc. However, the strong oxidization causes scar formation and increases healing time
during fetal development.
 Iodine is usually used in an alcohol solution (called tincture of iodine) or as Lugol's iodine
solution as a pre- and postoperative antiseptic. Some studies do not recommend disinfecting
minor wounds with iodine because of concern that it may induce scar tissue formation and
increase healing time.
 Octenidine dihydrochloride, currently increasingly used in continental Europe, often as a
chlorhexidine substitute.
 Polyhexanide (polyhexamethylene biguanide, PHMB) is an antimicrobial compound suitable for
clinical use in critically colonized or infected acute and chronic wounds. The physicochemical
action on the bacterial envelope prevents or impedes the development of resistant bacterial
strains.
 Balsam of Peru is a mild antiseptic.
 Dakin's solution is a sodium hypochlorite solution, originally also containing boric acid to lower
pH. It is mostly used on live tissues for cleaning wounds of bacteria, fungi and viruses. Because
 of practicality of preparation and lower cost, it is largely used in Veterinary Medicine treatments.
It is colourless and does not stain the animal's fur or affect its aesthetic or commercial value.
 Super-oxidized solutions (SOS) contain hypochlorous acid (HClO) (<0.005%) and are stabilised
at a neutral pH. SOS are rapidly acting (30s-5m), [19] broad spectrum antiseptics that are clinically
effective at non-cytotoxic concentrations that in contrast to many cytotoxic antiseptics, support
wound healing.[20] There is now growing consensus that modern SOS are more effective for
healing wounds faster

pocket mask
- A pocket mask, or pocket face mask is a device used to safely deliver rescue breaths during a cardiac
arrest or respiratory arrest. The specific term "Pocket Mask" is the trademarked name for the product
manufactured by Laerdal Medical services.

Air is administered to the patient when the emergency responder exhales through a one-way filter valve.
Modern pocket masks have either a built in one-way valve or an attachable, disposable filter to protect the
emergency responder from the patient's potentially infectious bodily substances, such as vomit or blood.

Many masks also have a built-in oxygen intake tube, allowing for administration of 50-60% oxygen.
Without being hooked up to an external line, exhaled air from the provider can still provide sufficient
oxygen to live, up to 16%. Earth's atmosphere consists of approximately 21% oxygen

-Face shield

A face shield is a device used to protect wearer's entire face (or part of it) from hazards such as flying
objects and road debris, chemical splashes (in industry), or potentially infectious materials (in medical
and laboratory environments)

Personal protective equipment

The use of personal protective equipment or PPE will vary by the kit, depending on its use and anticipated
risk of infection. The adjuncts to artificial respiration are covered above, but other common infection
control PPE includes:

I Medical gloves are disposable gloves used during medical examinations and procedures to help prevent
cross-contamination between caregivers and patients. [1] Medical gloves are made of different polymers
including latex, nitrile rubber, polyvinyl chloride and neoprene; they come unpowdered, or powdered
with corn starch to lubricate the gloves, making them easier to put on the hands

II .Goggles

Goggles, or safety glasses, are forms of protective eyewear that usually enclose or protect the area
surrounding the eye in order to prevent particulates, water or chemicals from striking the eyes.
III.surgical mask

A surgical mask, also known as a procedure mask, is intended to be worn by health professionals
during surgery and during nursing to catch the bacteria shed in liquid droplets and aerosols from the
wearer's mouth and nose. They are not designed to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne bacteria or
virus particles and are less effective than respirators

Instruments and equipment

They include:

 Trauma shears, also known as Tuff Cuts (a brand name), are a type of scissors used by
paramedics and other emergency medical personnel to quickly and safely cut clothing from
injured people. They usually consist of a plastic handle with a metal blade, which is traditionally
bent at about 150 degrees, giving them an unusual appearance as compared to normal scissors,
and also a longer "lever arm"

The shears were designed exclusively for external use and are not suitable for surgical or invasive
procedures. Their rugged construction enables them to cut through strong materials such as car
seat belts, leather, and denim, and even thin metal and other hard surfaces

 Tweezers are small tools used for picking up objects too small to be easily handled with the
human fingers. The word is most likely derived from tongs, pincers, or scissors-like pliers used to
grab or hold hot objects since the dawn of recorded history. In a scientific or medical context they
are normally referred to as forceps.

 Alcohol pads for sanitizing equipment, or unbroken skin. This is sometimes used to debride
wounds; however, some training authorities advise against this as it may kill cells which bacteria
can then feed on

 A syringe is a simple reciprocating pump consisting of a plunger (though in modern syringes, it

is actually a piston) that fits tightly within a cylindrical tube called a barrel. [2] The plunger can be
linearly pulled and pushed along the inside of the tube, allowing the syringe to take in and expel
liquid or gas through a discharge orifice at the front (open) end of the tube. The open end of the
syringe may be fitted with a hypodermic needle, a nozzle or tubing to direct the flow into and out
of the barrel. Syringes are frequently used in clinical medicine to administer injections, infuse
intravenous therapy into the bloodstream, apply compounds such as glue or lubricant, and
draw/measure liquids

 Hand sanitizer is a liquid generally used to decrease infectious agents on the hands.[2]
Formulations of the alcohol-based type are preferable to hand washing with soap and water in
most situations in the healthcare setting. It is generally more effective at killing microorganisms
and better tolerated than soap and water
 A thermometer is a device that measures temperature or a temperature gradient.
  A space blanket (also known as a Mylar blanket, emergency blanket, first aid blanket, safety
blanket, thermal blanket, weather blanket, heat sheet, or shock blanket) is an especially low-
weight, low-bulk blanket made of heat-reflective thin plastic sheeting. They are used on the
exterior surfaces of spacecraft for thermal control, as well as by people. Their design reduces the
heat loss in a person's body, which would otherwise occur due to thermal radiation, water
evaporation, or convection. Their compact size before unfurling and light weight makes them
ideal when space or weight are at a premium. They may be included in first aid kits and also in
camping equipment.
 Cotton wool, for applying antiseptic lotions
 The safety pin is a variation of the regular pin which includes a simple spring mechanism and a
clasp. The clasp serves two purposes: to form a closed loop thereby properly fastening the pin to
whatever it is applied to, and to cover the end of the pin to protect the user from the sharp point.
Used for pinning bandages.

Medication

Medication can be a controversial addition to a first aid kit, especially if it is for use on members of the
public. It is, however, common for personal or family first aid kits to contain certain medications.
Dependent on scope of practice, the main types of medicine are life saving medications, which may be
commonly found in first aid kits used by paid or assigned first aiders for members of the public or
employees, painkillers, which are often found in personal kits, but may also be found in public provision
and lastly symptomatic relief medicines, which are generally only found in personal kits.

-Life saving

 Aspirin primarily used for central medical chest pain as an anti-platelet

can take effect, or more advanced airway methods (such as intubation) can be established.

-Pain killers

 Paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen) is one of the most common pain killing medication,
as either tablet or syrup
 Anti-inflammatory painkillers such as buprofen

-Symptomatic relief

 Anti diarrhea medication such as loperamide - especially important in remote or third world
locations where dehydration caused by diarrhea is a leading killer of children
 Oral rehydration salts
 Antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine
 Poison treatments
 -Topical medications

 Antiseptics / disinfectants
o Antiseptic fluid, moist wipe or spray- For cleaning and disinfecting a wound. Typically
benzalkonium chloride, which disinfects wounds with minimal stinging or harm to
exposed tissue. Can also be used as an antibacterial hand wipe for the person providing
aid.
 Povidone iodine is an antiseptic in the form of liquid, swab stick, or towelette.
Can be used in a weak dilution of clean water to prepare an irrigation solution for
cleaning a wound.
 Hydrogen peroxide is often included in home first aid kits, but is a poor choice
for disinfecting wounds- it kills cells and delays healing
o Alcohol pads- sometimes included for disinfecting instruments or unbroken skin (for
example prior to draining a blister), or cleaning skin prior to applying an adhesive
bandage. Alcohol should not be used on an open wound, as it kills skin cells and delays
healing.
o Medicated antiseptic ointments- for preventing infection in a minor wound, after it is
cleaned. Not typically used on wounds that are bleeding heavily. Ointments typically
contain one, two, or all three of the following antibacterial ingredients (those containing
all three are typically called 'triple-antibiotic ointment') neomycin, polymyxin B sulfate
or bacitracin zinc.

2.Fire extinguishers

Fire extinguishers are designed to tackle specific types of fire. There are six different classes of fire and
several different types of fire extinguishers.  

Classes of fire

 Class A - fires involving solid materials such as wood, paper or textiles.

 Class B - fires involving flammable liquids such as petrol, diesel or oils.
 Class C - fires involving gases.
 Class D - fires involving metals.
 Class E - fires involving live electrical apparatus. (Technically ‘Class E’ doesn’t exists however
this is used for convenience here)
 Class F - fires involving cooking oils such as in deep-fat fryers.

Types of extinguishers

Water extinguishers

Water extinguishers are one of the most cost-effective ways to fight Class A fires, those fuelled by solid
materials such as paper, wood and textiles.

There are four different types of water extinguishers: water jet, water spray, water with additives and
water mist or fog.  
  Water jet extinguishers work by spraying a jet of water at the burning materials, cooling them and
preventing re-ignition. They should not be used on live electrical equipment.
 Water spray extinguishers use a very fine spray of water droplets, each droplet is surrounded by
air which is non-conductive. Most water spray fire extinguishers carry a 35 kV dielectric test
approval which means they have been tested on a 35,000 Volt electrical source at one meter.
 Water extinguishers with additives are water extinguishers with foaming chemicals added. The
water loses its natural surface tension meaning that it can soak into the burning materials more
effectively. Adding the chemicals to the water means that a smaller extinguisher can produce the
same fire rating as a larger, water only, extinguisher.
 Water mist, or fog, extinguishers apply water in the form of mist, or fog, the droplets are much
smaller than those from the water spray extinguisher. The smaller the droplet, the larger its
surface area in relation to its size, the quicker the droplet evaporates which absorbs the heat
energy faster. The downside is the smaller the droplet the less it weighs and therefore the less
powerful the cloud of water.

All water extinguishers have a red label.

Foam extinguishers

Foam fire extinguishers can be used on Class A and B fires. They are most suited to extinguishing liquid
fires such as petrol or diesel and are more versatile than water jet extinguishers because they can also be
used on solids such as wood and paper. The foam extinguishes liquid fires by sealing the surface of the
liquid, preventing flammable vapour reaching the air and starving the fire of fuel. They are not suitable
for use on free flowing liquid fires.

Foam extinguishers have a cream label.

Powder extinguishers

Powder extinguishers are a good multi-purpose fire extinguisher because they can be used on Class A, B
and C fires. They can also be used on fires involving electrical equipment however, they do not cool the
fire so it can re-ignite. Powder extinguishers can also create a loss of visibility and may create breathing
problems. They are not generally recommended for use inside buildings unless there is absolutely no
alternative.

Powder extinguishers have a blue label.

Carbon dioxide extinguishers (CO2)

CO2 extinguishers are ideal for places with a lot of electrical equipment such as offices or server rooms
because they are safe to use on fires involving electrical apparatus. Carbon dioxide extinguishers do not
leave any residue, unlike a foam extinguisher. They can also be used on Class B fires, those involving
flammable liquids such paraffin or petrol. CO2 extinguishers work by smothering the fire and cutting off
the supply of air.

Carbon Dioxide Extinguishers (CO2) have a black label.

Wet chemical extinguishers

Wet chemical extinguishers are suitable for use on Class F fires involving cooking oils and fats, such as
lard, olive oil, sunflower oil, maize oil and butter. They are extremely effective, when used correctly. The
wet chemical rapidly knocks the flames out, cools the burning oil and chemically reacts to form a soap-
like solution, sealing the surface and preventing re-ignition. Although they are primarily designed for use
on Class F fires, cooking oils and deep fat fryers. They can also be used on Class A fires (wood, paper
and fabrics) and Class B fires (flammable liquids).

Wet chemical extinguishers have a yellow label.

Fire blankets

Fire blankets are primarily for use on hot oil fires such as frying pans or small deep fat fryers. They can
also be used on someone whose clothing has caught fire. They work by smothering the fire, stopping
access to the oxygen fueling it and extinguishing it.

3.A first aid Manual

A First Aid Manual constitutes a detailed guide which contains useful information and suggested acts for
potential pathogenic conditions and medical emergency cases in everyday life.

4. Food supplies

 Peanut butter
 Cereal
 Dried fruit
 Canned meat such as tuna, salmon, chicken and turkey
 Canned vegetables such as beans, carrots and peas
 Canned soups and chili
 Sports drinks
 Sugar, salt and pepper
 Powdered milk
 Multivitamins