The project manager fell under the table with bloody foam in his mouth – what to do?
IT work is dangerous: you can get poisoned by a soy latte, have a heart attack from making edits, and get into a fight at a corporate party. Can we count on the help of our colleagues in case of an emergency? While you turn on the VPN to ask ChatGPT for advice, your colleague will go to the next world.
This article looks at accidents that can happen to you in the office. We tell you what needs to be done in such situations (and what should never be done). By the way, WHO says that up to 600,000 people die in the workplace every year.
Situation 1: the project manager fainted after seeing the client's edits
Fainting in itself is not dangerous. The first thing to do is to make sure that your colleague did not injure his head or limbs in the fall. The second is to prevent the tongue from sinking (otherwise the colleague may suffocate).
Place the person on their side so that the tongue does not block the airway.
Open a window to provide fresh air. To make breathing easier, unbutton the top buttons of your shirt/remove your tie/loosen your belt.
After your colleague wakes up, offer any drink containing sugar.
Situation 2: the director had a heart attack after seeing the quarterly report
Cardiovascular diseases are the most common cause of death. The main thing you need to be able to do is quickly recognize them and distinguish them from fainting or nervous tension.
Signs of a heart attack:
Severe chest pain, often radiating to the left shoulder, neck, jaw or arm + shortness of breath, sweating, nausea.
The heart rate is usually increased.
Signs of a stroke:
Urge to vomit, speech impairment, unsteady gait and impaired swallowing function + numbness of the limbs.
The heart rate is usually not elevated.
The first aid algorithm is the same: call an ambulance immediately. The colleague should take a semi-sitting position. Place a pillow/bag/folded clothing under your head, shoulders and knees.
If it is a heart attack, give the person one aspirin tablet + nitroglycerin tablet to chew (put under the tongue, do not swallow). If you have a stroke, do not give medicine and never offer food or drink.
Story 3: developer and tester got into a fight, we need to stop the bleeding
If this is arterial bleeding (the artery is damaged), then scarlet blood will pour out of the wound in a pulsating stream – this is the most dangerous bleeding.
Your task is to quickly apply a tourniquet. Be sure to note the time – no more than 60 minutes if you are in a warm room. If it’s outside in winter, it’s no more than 30. During this time, the ambulance will arrive.
How to apply a tourniquet?
Office pharmacies usually have medical tourniquets available. If not, use a strip of fabric, a scarf, or nylon stockings.
Elevate the affected limb above heart level to reduce blood flow.
Place the tourniquet above the wound and make several turns until the bleeding stops completely. The coils should lie close to one another so that folds of clothing do not fall between them.
We recommend putting a piece of paper with the time of application of the tourniquet so that the ambulance does not mix up anything.
Remember that a tourniquet is a last resort!
If a colleague has venous bleeding, then dark blood will flow out of the wound in a slow stream. In this case, elevate the limb, apply a pressure bandage and bend the limbs at the joint (for example, this is what a doctor does after taking blood from a vein).
Story 4: the developer went to the chilosh room to hang on the horizontal bar – he fell and broke his arm
Your task is to safely transport your colleague to the emergency room or to the emergency room. If you feel like your arm is dislocated, don’t even try to set it back like the cool cowboys do in the movies.
How to ensure the safety of a colleague on the way to the emergency room?
Do not move the affected limb.
Try to fix it with available means – a stick/board/mop.
Apply ice and hold until the ambulance arrives.
If it is an open fracture with bleeding, apply a tourniquet.
Story 5: a marketer drank a latte with regular milk instead of soy milk and stopped showing signs of life
If a colleague has an allergy (itching, sore throat, discomfort in the throat), immediately give an antihistamine (Cimetidine, Famotidine, Kestin), and 1 hour after that – activated carbon, Filtrum or another sorbent.
If we are talking about an asthma attack against the background of an allergen (a person is suffocating), then the algorithm of actions is as follows:
Call an ambulance.
Give an inhaler: Salbutamol, Ventolin and others (usually found in the office first aid kit).
Inhale every 20-25 minutes, but no more than 3 times in a row.
Ensure a comfortable wait for doctors: open the window in the office, loosen your belt and collar, monitor your blood pressure and pulse.
Story 6 – in honor of the successful release, we decided to barbecue in the kitchen, but got burned
If the burn is minor (redness, blisters on the skin), you can limit yourself to office help. If tissue necrosis has begun (the skin turns black), the burn has reached the muscles, we urgently call an ambulance.
First aid:
Remove damaged clothing as soon as possible.
Keep the affected limb under running cold water for at least 10 minutes.
Cover the burn with a sterile bandage (bandage, gauze, even a plastic bag will do).
Do not apply medical products to the bandage; it may cause harm. There is no need to smear the wound with iodine, alcohol, or peroxide.
Offer your colleague water and pain relief.
Perhaps your grandmother told you about a secret folk remedy. We are talking about lubricating the burn with butter. This method used to be popular – it was recommended by the Prussian surgeon Friedrich von Esmarch (one of the pioneers of asepsis and antiseptics, who invented a hemostatic tourniquet, elastic bandage, Esmarch mug, Esmarch scissors). In reality, this will not help the victim in any way.
Story 7 – a designer choked on rolls at lunch
One of the most dangerous and underestimated accidents. If a colleague clears his throat himself, then everything is fine. But if food is stuck and makes it difficult to breathe, the Heimlich maneuver will help – it is simple and does not require special equipment. preparation.
Important: do not knock or slap your colleague on the back – the object he choked on could pass down the respiratory tract.
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Instead of conclusions
In all articles about first aid they write: perform artificial respiration/indirect cardiac massage. Forget about it and don't remember it! These techniques are difficult to implement and require practical experience, medical knowledge and physical training (sometimes it takes more than 30 minutes to work on the chest). At best, you will not achieve results. At worst, you will do harm (break your ribs in a state of shock, cut off your breathing). Your task is to quickly call an ambulance.
Remember that you could end up in jail if your first aid causes someone to get injured/die!
