The US American Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued a
new Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program, a new
guide to help employers and employees develop workplace first aid programs.

"Workplace first-aid program is a key component of any comprehensive safety and
health management system," said OSHA Administrator Ed Foulke. "Our new guide
offers practical information on how to help employers plan and implement
first-aid programs as well as effective training."

The new OSHA guide identifies four essential elements for first-aid programs to
be effective and successful;

• management leadership and employee involvement,
  
• worksite analysis,
  
• hazard prevention and control, and
  
• safety and health training.

The guide details the primary components of a first-aid program at the
workplace. Those elements include:

• Identifying and assessing workplace risks;
  
• Designing a program that is specific to the worksite and complies with OSHA
  first-aid requirements;
  
• Instructing all workers about the program, including what to do if a coworker
  is injured or ill. Policies and program should be in writing;
  
• Evaluating and modifying program to keep it current, including regular
  assessment of the first-aid training course.

The guide also includes best practices for planning and conducting safe and
effective first-aid training. OSHA recommends that training courses include
instruction in general and workplace hazard-specific knowledge and skills,
incorporating automated external defibrillator (AED) training in to CPR
training if an AED is available at the work site, and periodically repeat
first-aid training to help maintain and update knowledge and skills.

More info

AplusA-online.de - Source: U.S. Department of Labor Occupational Safety & Health Administration