First Aid + AED on the Jobsite

Why this matters

OSHA requires first aid + (in many cases) trained first-aid responders on every jobsite. Cardiac events on jobsites kill workers more often than equipment incidents - AED access + bystander CPR in the 5-minute window before EMS arrives is the single biggest survival factor. Contractors who treat first aid as "the kit in the truck" miss the point: response readiness + trained responders + accessible AED save lives + reduce liability.

OSHA first aid requirements (29 CFR 1910.151)

Required at every workplace:

• First-aid supplies adequate for hazards present
• Means to summon medical assistance
• If the nearest medical facility is NOT in "near proximity" (typically 3 - 4 minutes EMS response): a trained first-aid responder on site

In practice for most service-trade work:

• Adequate first-aid kit in every truck
• Cell phone access for emergency call
• Trained first-aid + CPR responder among crew

What "adequate first aid kit" means (ANSI Z308.1)

ANSI Z308.1 specifies first-aid kit Class A (workplace) + Class B (high-risk):

Class A (general workplace) - minimum:

• Adhesive bandages (multiple sizes)
• Wound cleansing agent
• Burn dressing
• Cold pack
• Eye covering
• Eye / skin wash
• First aid guide
• Gauze pads
• Hand sanitizer
• Medical gloves
• Roller bandage
• Scissors
• Sterile pads
• Tape
• Triangular bandage

Class B (high-risk; construction, electrical, more) - adds:

• CPR barrier
• Tourniquet
• Splint
• Heavy hemorrhage control (e.g., Israeli bandage)

Service-trade crews typically need Class B minimum because of cuts, electrical, falls.

Refresh the kit:

• Quarterly inventory
• Replace expired items
• Restock after use
• Each truck logged in inventory system

Training: who needs it

OSHA "trained first-aid responder":

• At least one per shift / work crew
• Trained in CPR + first aid (American Red Cross OR American Heart Association OR equivalent)
• 8-hour course typical; recertify every 2 years

Best practice: every crew member trained. Cost. Trade school + community college offer subsidized courses.

Most common service-trade emergencies (what to prepare for)

Cuts + lacerations

• Apply pressure with sterile gauze
• Elevate
• If bleeding doesn't stop in 5 minutes, escalate
• Tourniquet for arterial bleeding from a limb

Electrical shock

• DO NOT touch the victim if still in contact with energy source
• De-energize at source first
• Check breathing + pulse; begin CPR if absent
• AED if available
• ALL electrical shock victims to ER (even if walking + talking; cardiac arrhythmia can develop hours later)

Falls + fractures

• Stabilize victim; do NOT move spine
• Apply splint if simple fracture
• Compound (broken skin) fracture: control bleeding + cover wound
• Call EMS

Burns

• Cool with running cool water 10 - 20 minutes
• Cover with dry sterile dressing
• Chemical burn: flush with copious water 20+ minutes
• Electrical burn: include cardiac monitoring

Heat stroke (see separate article)

• 911 immediately
• Cool aggressively
• Monitor breathing

Eye injury

• Foreign object: flush with sterile water OR eyewash
• Chemical: flush 20+ minutes minimum
• Cover; transport to ER
• Do NOT remove embedded objects

Cardiac arrest

• 911 immediately
• Begin CPR (push hard + fast 100 - 120/min)
• Apply AED as soon as available
• Continue until EMS arrives

AED (Automated External Defibrillator)

The single most-impactful safety equipment for a multi-crew jobsite.

What it does:

• Detects shockable cardiac rhythms (V-fib, V-tach)
• Delivers shock to restart normal rhythm
• Voice prompts guide bystander through use
• No medical training required to operate

Survival reality:

• Sudden cardiac arrest survival without bystander CPR + AED: <10%
• With CPR + AED within 5 minutes: 30 - 70%
• Every minute delay = 7 - 10% survival decrease

Where to put AEDs:

• Office / shop common area
• Larger jobsites with multiple workers
• Trailer / mobile command center
• Truck-mounted (specialty mounts protect from temperature; some AEDs rated for vehicle use)

Training requirement:

• Modern AEDs guide untrained users via voice
• However, training improves response speed + confidence
• CPR + AED training combined (4 - 8 hours)

Documentation + signage

OSHA + state requirements:

• First-aid kit accessible + visibly located
• Signage indicating kit + AED location
• Emergency contact information posted (911 + supervisor + facility)
• Annual inspection log
• Incident reports filed within 7 days of any first-aid event

Response protocol (the 5-step jobsite)

1. ASSESS - scene safe? bystander safe?
2. CALL - 911 first if serious; supervisor parallel
3. TREAT - first aid per training
4. TRANSFER - to EMS on arrival; brief them
5. DOCUMENT - write up incident; photos; witness statements

Drill this at safety meetings; every crew member knows the steps.

Workers' compensation triggers

Any first-aid event MAY trigger workers' comp claim:

• Minor first-aid only (band-aid, eye flush): often NOT a claim
• Anything requiring medical professional: workers' comp claim filed
• Each state varies; consult workers' comp insurer
• Document EVERY incident regardless of severity

Special considerations: solo + small-crew

For solo + 2-person operations:

• Cell phone with emergency contact pre-programmed
• Truck-mounted first-aid kit
• Buddy check-in protocol (text every 2 hours OR on completion)
• Family / dispatcher knows tech's location

The risk of solo work is delayed response - somebody always knows where you are + checks in.

Higher-risk job environments

Some work needs enhanced safety setup:

• Confined space: rescue plan REQUIRED (separate SOP)
• High elevation: rescue / retrieval plan
• Hazardous materials: SDS + decon protocol
• Solo + remote: GPS + check-in
• Customer with medical conditions: brief tech on awareness

Customer-facing benefit

For commercial customers, the responder-ready story matters:

• "Our crew is CPR + first-aid trained"
• "Every truck has Class B first-aid kit"
• "AED at the office + on extended jobsites"
• "Documented incident response protocol"

This is competitive differentiation for commercial bids.

References

• OSHA 29 CFR 1910.151 (Medical + First Aid)
• ANSI / ISEA Z308.1 (First-Aid Kit Standard)
• American Heart Association CPR + AED guidance
• American Red Cross first aid training
• Manuall internal: OSHA Quick Reference for Field Work, Heat Illness Prevention (OSHA NEP), Confined Space Entry (OSHA 1910.146)