Appendix 4 – First Aid Plan

Purpose

All College personnel must have access to quick and effective first aid in the event of an emergency. In order to afford employees immediate and effective attention in the event of an injury, Whitman College offers First Aid/CPR/AED training to all interested employees. Classes are made available as needed at no cost to employees through the Environmental Health and Safety Department.

First Aid Kits

First aid kits must be readily available to all personnel and should be stored in clean, clearly marked, portable containers. The containers should not be locked. They must be made of a material that protects them from damage, deterioration or contamination in the work environment. Employees should familiarize themselves with the location of kits in their assigned work area(s).

Building managers should document the location of their first aid kits. Locations should be clearly marked on the building maps and updated as necessary. All personnel should know the location of these kits through regular communication (e.g., an annual reminder at a department meeting).

Managers are responsible for restocking and refreshing their first aid kits after use. First aid kits should be inspected at least annually. The Environmental Heath and Safety Department provides guidelines to accommodate the wide variety of work types, locations and environments shared by the College’s personnel.

First Aid Trained Personnel

Personnel identified as first aid trained do so on a voluntary basis; it is not a job assignment to provide first aid or other medical assistance. Performing first aid is covered by the Good Samaritan Statute which states:

“Any person, including but not limited to a volunteer provider of emergency or medical services, who without compensation or the expectation of compensation renders emergency care at the scene of an emergency or who participates in transporting, not for compensation, therefrom an injured person or persons for emergency medical treatment shall not be liable for civil damages resulting from any act or omission in the rendering of such emergency care or in transporting such persons, other than acts or omissions constituting gross negligence or willful or wanton misconduct.”

First Aid Procedures

First aid trained personnel should follow these guidelines to ensure their personal safety:

For serious injury, or if you’re unsure of the extent of injury – CALL 911.
Alert Campus Security.
Do not perform first aid at the risk of your personal safety.
Before providing care, first aid responders should use the necessary personal protective equipment (PPE), including gloves and available barriers, to avoid exposure to blood and other body fluids. If possible, let the injured person help provide their own care.
First Aid trained employees[1] may perform or ask other trained employees or bystanders to administer assistance until medical aid arrives.
Employees are not required to render
Do not move any materials or equipment, or otherwise alter or disturb the accident scene unless necessary to prevent further injury or death.
After performing any first aid, remove and bag any contaminated clothing and personal effects.
Wash skin thoroughly with soap and water.
Launder contaminated clothing separately at home with soap, bleach, borax or a peroxide-based stain remover. (If a first aid responder choses, they may dispose of contaminated clothing and personal effects at the Welty Health Center.)
Any injured or exposed employee may seek medical attention from any licensed healthcare provider for an initial visit. If subsequent care is necessary, the employee may be required to utilize an L&I network provider.
Notify Environmental Health and Safety of an accident as soon as possible by phone or email.
Employees complete and submit an Employee Accident Report form. All others (eg students, visitors) complete an Incident Report Form.

[1] Wilderness Medical Institute, American Red Cross, or equivalent

Bloodborne Pathogens Exposure

In the event that a College employee is exposed to human blood or other potentially infectious materials during the administration of first aid or any other activity in the workplace, the employee should notify their supervisor immediately. The employee will be referred to the appropriate healthcare provider for post-exposure follow-up.

College personnel who are first aid trained as a collateral job duty are not required to have annual bloodborne pathogen training nor are they required to be offered a Hepatitis B immunization.