Elastoplast And Health And Safety

[dartagnon]

At work on Friday a female colleague had a small cut on her finger. We couldn't find the first aid box so I gave her a plaster from my wallet and she thanked me. She said she would enter all the details in the accident book, which she did.
A supervisor saw the entry and asked her where she got the plaster and was told it was me. I was then warned about my actions because it's against Health and Safety legislation and "she could have died had she taken an adverse reaction to the plaster". I asked this supervisor to show me in writing where it says NOT to give a plaster to a work colleague who is fully aware of the potential risk and was told to "get on my way".
I know HaS get a bad press, but can anyone keep me right about my actions.

[vulcan42]

you should have told the supervisor it is illegal not to have the first aid equipment in a place where everybody knows where it can be accessed quickly. If it was in the right place then the plaster problem wouldn't have arisen.

[Buenchico]

Both you and your employer have a duty of care to yourself and to your colleagues. As long as you show due diligence in exercising that duty of care you've absolutely nothing to worry about. (There is no 'law' that states that only certain types of sticking plaster may be used; there is only guidance as to 'best practice' as to what should, or should not, be in a first aid box).

Try pointing out to your employer that part of an employer's duty of care is to ensure not only that adequate first aid provision is made available to staff, but also that staff know how to obtain first aid. (i.e. their should be a list of first-aiders clearly on display - all of whom should have immediate access to a first aid box - and that, even without the assistance of a first-aider, all staff should know where to find a first aid box).

The employer is at fault, not you!

Chris

[Gavmacp]

I think this is a deflection technique by blaming you for giving a plaster it hides the obvious question I.e. where was the bloody first aid box!

[mrs_overall]

What a load of twaddle your supervisor is talking. Giving a colleague a plaster from your wallet is about as illegal as giving her a sweet from a packet in your pocket.
I would be asking the supervisor some questions such as:
1. Where is the first aid box kept?
2. Where is the notice telling staff where the first aid box is kept?
3. Who are the first aiders at work?
4. Where is the list/rota of first aiders displayed?

Dependent on the number of employees, your firm could be breaching H&S Regs by not adhering to the above.

Tell your supervisor to stick that in his/her pipe and smoke it

[bert_h]

Unfortunately, quite probably the employer is the legal fall guy if something happens afterwards to the injured colleague's finger as a result of your good deed. She sues the employer for the negligence of his employee, i.e. you. If it's been done from the official first aid box by an accredited first aider, then no matter what happens, she can't bring any kind of case. If she could get no (official) treatment at all, and something nasty happens as a result, then the employer is guilty of a health and safety breach, but probably nothing worse. The law is crazy, so when people are determined not to end up on the wrong side of it, they end up having to do crazy things like your supervisor did.

In this case, unfortunately, you should have done the crazy thing of making sure it didn't go into the accident book. That's how to avoid any trouble next time.

[Iluvspikey]

bert_h - you're talking twaddle - there could have been more repercussions if the accident HADN'T been entered into the accident book. I concur what everybody else has said, there should be a fully stocked first aid box in easy access and a qualified first aider on hand if need be. In an office it used to be ratio 1 first aider to 40 people - could well have changed now though

[Buenchico]

Here's the official HSE advice, which only says that hypoallergenic plasters may be included in a first aid kit 'if necessary'. They are definitely not mandatory!
http://www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg214.pdf

[boxtops]

Bert, that's really poor advice - it SHOULD go in the book, but it's the company which is in trouble for not having done everything MrsO suggests.

[mrs_overall]

bert, sorry to have to tell you but you too are talking twaddle

[woofgang]

If it was a child who had been given the plaster it would be different but adults are considered to be able to male their own decisions about minor things such as accepting a plaster from a work colleague.
Health and safety legislation says NOTHING about accepting plasters from colleagues, tell your supervisor to get knotted.

[jake-the-peg]

First Aid training advises you to check with anybody you give a plaster to that they don't have reactions to plasters.

Job done

The chances of someone getting to that age and not knowing they have a severe reaction are minisculely small.

Generally if someone is unconcious you are not going to be putting a plaster on them so the issue does not arise in that case.

I suggest your colleague goes on first aid course before handing out HSE advise

[domingowebbog6]

If you are in need of effective first aid training, then you must choose the best of the best. It is your duty to make sure that the workplace is safe and your employees are ready to take appropriate steps to save lives if a life-threatening situation occurs.You can try Rescue One they take pride as one of the biggest organizations when it comes to giving the life safety training in the Mid-Atlantic region. You should visit their site http://rescue-one.com/first-aid-training.html