by the Education Bureau.)
8. First Aid in the Technology and Living / Home Economics Special Rooms and
(g) Cover the patient with a blanket.
(h) If the patient recovers consciousness, reassure and observe him / her. Advise him / her to see a doctor.
(i) Do not give anything to an unconscious patient by mouth.
8.1.2 Electrical Injury
(a) Under safe circumstances, switch off the power supply, and remove him / her from contact with the electrical source. Never touch the patient with bare hands until you are sure that he / she is no longer in contact with the source. If you cannot break the current immediately, stand on some dry insulating materials, such as a wooden box and remove the patient from the source with other dry insulating objects.
(b) Check the point of contact on the body for burn, which may be severe. Place a sterile dressing over the burn and secure with a bandage. Seek medical treatment.
(c) It is essential that cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be started immediately if the shock has produced respiratory and cardiac arrest.
8.1.3 Heat Burns and Scalds
(a) Place the affected area under slowly running cold water until the pain fades.
(b) Remove any rings, watches, belts, shoes or other constricting clothing from the injured area before it starts to swell, but do not remove any clothing adhering to the burn.
(c) Do not apply lotions, ointments or any other chemicals to the injured area.
(d) Do not break blisters or remove any loose skin.
(e) Cover the affected area with a dry, sterile dressing / gauze and then secure with bandage. Never use adhesive dressing.
(f) As far as possible, immobilise the affected part so as to minimise pain.
(g) For severe burns, medical aid should be sought without delay.
8.1.4 Chemical Burns
When handling chemical burns, only water should be used for first-aid
treatment. Do not apply any chemical on the affected area.
(a) Place the affected area under slowly running cold water until the pain fades.
(b) Remove any contaminated clothing carefully, but avoid making contact with the chemical yourself.
(c) For severe burns, medical aid should be sought without delay. It is essential that flooding of the affected area has to be continued all the while when an ambulance is being summoned to send the patient to hospital for treatment. A sample of the chemical or the name and composition of the chemical should also be taken to the hospital for reference or identification.
8.1.5 Eye Injuries
(a) All eye injuries should be regarded as serious cases and medical treatment should be sought without delay.
(b) If chemical has entered into the eye, flush the eye with running cold water or using eye wash unit immediately for at least 10 minutes.
Ensure that water drains away from his / her face and not into the other eye. Do not attempt to neutralise the chemical in the injured eye by acid or alkali. Advise the patient not to rub his / her eye.
(c) Do not attempt to remove foreign objects such as glass pieces from the eye. Keep the patient still and send for medical aid immediately.
(d) Cover the eye with a sterile eye pad.
8.1.6 Cuts and Bleeding
(a) Avoid touching the wounds with bare hands or having direct contact with blood. Always use a pair of disposable plastic / vinyl gloves.
(b) Protect the wound with a sterile swab. Clean the areas around the wounds with water using liquid soap if necessary. Take care not to wipe off any blood clots.
(c) If bleeding persists, apply direct pressure. Apply proper dressing after bleeding has stopped.
(d) In serious cases, the patient should lie down with the injured part raised. Apply direct pressure to the wound over a clean dressing. If bleeding continues, do not remove the dressing, but apply further pads on top of the original one. Then bandage the wound firmly.
Excessive blood loss may lead to shock. Medical assistance should be summoned immediately.
(e) Blood-contaminated materials should be properly handled and the following precautionary measures need to be taken.
(i) Avoid touching blood-contaminated materials with bare hands.
Always use a pair of disposable plastic / vinyl gloves.
(ii) Use household bleach (diluted with water in the proportion of 1:5) to clean up the contaminated areas.
(iii) Blood-soiled gloves, dressings and swabs, etc. should be placed in double plastic bags and then sealed for disposal.
8.1.7 Chemicals Swallowed
(a) If the chemical has not been swallowed, ask the patient to spit it out and wash the mouth with plenty of water.
(b) If the chemical has been swallowed, give the patient plenty of water or milk to drink. Medical assistance should be summoned immediately.
(c) If medical consultation has to be sought, a sample of the swallowed poison or vomit should be sent along to hospital for identification.
8.1.8 Inhalation of Toxic Gases
(a) Open any doors and windows. Remove the patient to a safe place without endangering yourself
(b) Check his airway and ensure it is not blocked.
(c) Place him in the recovery position even if he is conscious. This allows him to aspirate even if he vomits.
(d) If the patient's breathing stops, carry out artificial respiration. If the pulse also stops, start cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
(e) Seek medical aid immediately.
8.2 Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
If injury results in unconsciousness and that breathing and pulsation stop, cardiopulmonary resuscitation should be carried out. First-aid treatment should be given without delay, otherwise the brain cells will be damaged within 3-4 minutes.
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation includes artificial respiration and chest compression. The following are descriptions on artificial respiration and chest
compression. They should not be regarded as a substitute of the training offered by first-aid organisations. These procedures should be conducted by persons qualified in administering first aid.
8.2.1 Artificial Respiration
Artificial respiration involves the direct blowing of air into the patient's lungs to help the restoration of normal breathing.
(a) Lay the patient on his back.
(b) Check the airway and ensure it is free from obstruction.
(c) Head tilt-chin lift and check breathing.
(d) Breathe in deeply. Open your mouth wide and make an airtight seal over the mouth of the patient, meanwhile, pinch his nostrils with your fingers. Then blow gently. (If the patient's mouth is injured, your mouth should seal over his nose.)
(e) During blowing, watch for chest expansion.
(f) If the patient's chest does not rise, check that his mouth and throat are clear of any obstruction.
(g) After blowing air into his lungs twice, check for pulse.
(h) If a pulse is felt, continue to give inflation at a rate of 12-16 times per minute until natural breathing is restored.
(i) If the pulse stops, carry out chest compression.
8.2.2 Chest Compression
If the patient's heart stops when artificial respiration is being conducted, chest compression should also be carried out for maintaining blood circulation.
(a) Place the heel of one hand on the lower half of the patient's breastbone.
(b) Cover this hand with the heel of the other hand and interlock your fingers.
(c) Keeping your arms straight, press down about 4-5 cm and then release.
(d) Continue to press 15 times at a rate of 80 times per minute.
During the process of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, artificial respiration and chest compression should be carried out alternatively. If there is only
one first aider, the ratio of chest compression and artificial respiration is 15:2 (If there are two first aiders, the ratio is 5:1). Always check if there is any sign of return in breathing and pulse. If the pulse returns, chest compression should be discontinued. However, artificial respiration should be continued until natural breathing is restored.
8.2.3 Recovery Position
If the patient loses consciousness but his breathing and pulsation continue, place him in the recovery position. Such position enables him to vomit freely from his mouth.
(Source: Handbook on Safety in Science Laboratory 2008, updated web version) 8.3 Provision of First Aid Box
(a) Each special room in the Technology and Living / Home Economics rooms should be equipped with a first aid box.
(b) All Technology and Living / Home Economics teachers should be familiar with the contents of the first aid box and their uses.
(c) The first aid box should be installed in prominent and easily accessible positions in the special rooms.
(d) Check the contents regularly to ensure that all the recommended materials and equipment are maintained in good conditions and kept in sufficient quantity at all times. Replace and replenish the items regularly.
(e) The following is a list of recommended first aid item.
(j) Antiseptics, e.g. tincture of iodine (ii) Cotton wool
(iii) Disposable plastic / vinyl gloves (iv) Sterile dressings / gauze
(v) Adhesive plaster
(vi) Bandages (of different sizes)
(vii) Sterile adhesive dressings (of different sizes) (viii) Sterile eye pad
(ix) Triangular bandages (x) Forceps
(xi) Safety pins (xii) Scissors