First Aid, CPR, and Emergency Response on the Jobsite

Why First Aid and Emergency Response Matter on the Jobsite

Construction sites are among the most hazardous workplaces in the United States. Falls, cuts, crush injuries, heat illness, and eye injuries can happen any day. When an emergency occurs, the minutes before emergency medical services (EMS) arrive are critical. A carpenter who knows what to do can keep a coworker alive or prevent a minor injury from becoming a major one. This lesson prepares you to act — not freeze — when something goes wrong.

Calling for Help: The First Step Every Time

Before you touch a victim, make sure the scene is safe for you to enter. If power tools are still running, chemicals are spilling, or there is a fall hazard directly overhead, do not rush in and become a second victim. Once the scene is safe, call 911 immediately or direct someone specific to call — point at a person and say "You, call 911 now." Give the dispatcher the street address, the gate or entrance number, the nature of the injury, and how many people are hurt. Send someone to the site entrance to flag down and guide the ambulance.

Every jobsite with more than a minimum number of employees is required by OSHA to have a written Emergency Action Plan (EAP). Know where your site's EAP is posted, where the nearest AED is located, and where the first-aid kit is kept — before an emergency happens.

Hands-Only CPR

If a coworker collapses, is unresponsive, and is not breathing normally, begin hands-only CPR immediately after calling 911.

1. Place the heel of one hand on the center of the chest (lower half of the sternum).

2. Place your other hand on top, interlacing fingers and keeping them off the chest.

3. Keep your arms straight and compress at least 2 inches deep at a rate of 100–120 compressions per minute. The beat of the song "Stayin' Alive" matches that rate.

4. Allow the chest to fully recoil between compressions — do not lean on the chest.

5. Continue until an AED arrives, a trained responder takes over, or EMS arrives.

If you are trained in rescue breathing, you may give 30 compressions followed by 2 breaths using a barrier device. For this course, hands-only CPR is the minimum required skill.

Using an AED

An automated external defibrillator (AED) can restart a heart in certain cardiac arrest rhythms. Every second counts — for every minute without defibrillation, survival rates drop significantly.

1. Turn on the AED and follow its voice prompts.

2. Attach the pads as shown on the pad diagrams — one below the right collarbone, one on the lower left side of the chest.

3. Make sure no one is touching the victim when the AED analyzes the rhythm.

4. If a shock is advised, shout "Clear!" confirm no one is touching, then press the shock button.

5. Resume CPR immediately after the shock. Continue following AED prompts.

Do not delay CPR while setting up the AED — one person does compressions while a second sets up the device.

Severe Bleeding Control

For a laceration that is bleeding heavily, use direct pressure with a clean cloth or sterile gauze. Press firmly and do not lift the cloth to check — add more material on top if blood soaks through. For a limb wound that does not stop with direct pressure, a tourniquet may be needed. Apply it 2–3 inches above the wound (not over a joint), tighten until bleeding stops, note the time of application, and never remove it in the field. Report the time to EMS.

Suspected Fracture Splinting

Do not attempt to straighten a suspected fracture. Immobilize the limb in the position you find it using a rigid splint (a board, folded cardboard, or similar material) padded with bandaging. The splint must extend beyond the joints above and below the injury. Check circulation — feel for a pulse and ask if the victim has feeling in the fingers or toes — before and after splinting. Secure the splint with bandages that are snug but not tight enough to cut off circulation.

Heat Exhaustion Recognition and Response

Heat exhaustion warning signs include heavy sweating, cool and pale skin, weakness, nausea, and a fast weak pulse. Move the worker to a cool, shaded area immediately. Loosen or remove excess clothing. Apply cool, wet cloths to the skin. Have the worker sip cool water if they are fully conscious and able to swallow. If symptoms do not improve within 15 minutes, or if the worker loses consciousness or stops sweating while skin becomes hot and red (signs of heat stroke), call 911 — heat stroke is a life-threatening emergency.

Eye Wash Station Use

After any particle, dust, or chemical splash to the eye, go to the nearest eye-wash station immediately — within seconds for chemical exposure. Hold your eyelids open and flush both eyes continuously with clean water for at least 15 minutes, moving your eyes in all directions. Do not rub the eye. After flushing, seek medical evaluation for any chemical exposure.

Your Emergency Action Plan Responsibilities

When a coworker falls from a ladder: (1) make the scene safe; (2) call 911; (3) do not move the victim unless they are in immediate danger, because an unseen spinal injury could be worsened; (4) begin CPR if the victim is unresponsive and not breathing; (5) send someone to meet and guide EMS to the exact location. Know the location of the nearest AED before you need it.