HS&E Operatives practice question: First aid and emergency procedures (1 of 7)
A. Working environment A free question from our original HS&E Operatives practice exam. Try it, then open the answer to see why each option is right or wrong.
You cut your hand on the sharp edge of a metal sheet. The cut is small, but it is bleeding through your torn glove.
What should you do?
Choose one answer.
AA. Wrap it in a rag and carry on with the job
BB. Use a plaster from your van and tell no one
CC. Wait until the end of your shift and treat it at home
DD. Get it treated by a first-aider and recorded
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D
A. Wrong: Wrong. A dirty rag can cause infection, and carrying on means the cause is not dealt with. Get it treated properly and reported.
B. Wrong: Wrong. Treating it yourself may stop the bleeding, but no one learns about the sharp edge. Report it so it is recorded and the hazard can be dealt with.
C. Wrong: Wrong. A cut should be treated straight away, and the site needs to know it happened. Use the first-aid arrangements on site.
D. Right: Right. The site's first-aid arrangements are there for injuries like this. Recording it means a pattern of injuries, such as from sharp sheet edges, can be spotted and fixed.
Explanation
Report every injury, however small, and get it treated through the site's first-aid arrangements. Your site induction tells you who the first-aiders are and where the first-aid kit is.