Workplace Safety Signals and Essential First Aid Procedures

Posted on Mar 31, 2025 in Medicine & Health

Signaling Safety

Health and safety signaling refers to an object, activity, or specific situation. It provides an indication or obligation related to safety or health at work through a panel sign, a color, a light or acoustic signal, or gestural or verbal communication signals, as appropriate.

Usage Requirements (Royal Decree 486/97)

The height and placement of signs should be determined in relation to the visual angle and the location. The signal lights must be placed where they can be easily seen. Markings should be removed when the situation that warrants them no longer exists.

Types of Signs

  • Rescue or Relief: Square or rectangular shape, white pictogram on a green background.
  • Warning: Triangular shape, black pictogram on a yellow background.
  • Prohibition: Round shape, black pictogram on a white background with red edges and diagonal line.
  • Obligation: Round shape, white pictogram on a blue background.

Acoustic and Light Signals

Light Signals

  1. A light signal emitted must provide adequate light contrast with the environment, according to the planned conditions.
  2. The surface emitting a luminous signal may be of a uniform color or include a pictogram.
  3. If a device can emit both continuous and flashing signals, the flashing light should be used to indicate a greater degree of danger.
  4. Do not use two light signals simultaneously if they could cause confusion.
  5. Light signal devices for use in case of serious danger should be subject to special revisions or be equipped with an auxiliary bulb.
  6. If a flashing light signal is used, the duration and frequency of flashes should allow for the correct identification of the message and must avoid being perceived as a continuous signal or confused with other signals.

Acoustic Signals

  1. An acoustic signal must have a sound level higher than the ambient noise, so that it is clearly audible without being excessively annoying or painful. Do not use an acoustic signal if the ambient noise is too intense.
  2. If the acoustic signal is intermittent, the duration of pulses and the interval between them should allow for identification and distinction from other acoustic signals or ambient noises.
  3. Do not use two acoustic signals simultaneously.
  4. The sound signal for evacuation must be continuous.

First Aid

First aid is the initial assistance offered to an injured person before professional health staff can administer treatment.

PAS Procedure

Protect – Alert – Soccor (Help) is the sequence of actions to follow in an emergency situation.

Protect

The first step is to prevent further accidents. This involves securing the accident scene from potential additional dangers, including:

  1. Clearly signal the accident location.
  2. Cut off the power supply to involved machinery or electrical currents nearby.
  3. Divert traffic in the affected area.

Alert

The person notifying emergency services must express themselves clearly and precisely. Call and state the exact location of the accident.

Soccor (Help)

  1. Check if the injured person is breathing or bleeding.
  2. Talk to them to see if they are conscious.
  3. Take their pulse if you suspect their heart is not beating.

Prioritization of Injured Persons

Attend to injured people in the following order:

  1. Unconscious individuals, without breath or pulse.
  2. Those with severe injuries or abundant hemorrhages.
  3. Those in a state of shock.
  4. Those with severe burns.
  5. Those with eye injuries.
  6. Those with severe open fractures.
  7. Remaining injured individuals.

Triage

Triage involves sorting or classifying the injured to separate those who need assistance from those who do not, identify those requiring urgent help, and identify those who cannot be saved. Triage should ideally be performed by an experienced doctor, but the first phase should start as soon as possible:

  1. Evacuate individuals who are not trapped before those who are, and unstable individuals before stable ones.
  2. Reserve medical resources for seriously ill patients who can benefit from them.
  3. Never evacuate anyone without knowing who they are, who is transporting them, how they are being transported, and where they are going.

CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)

When to Stop CPR

CPR can be terminated when:

  • The patient regains pulse and breathing.
  • A factor appears that endangers the life or physical integrity of the rescuer.
  • The patient is mobilized or professional help takes over.

Pediatric CPR (pCPR)

  • Children older than 1 year: Mouth-to-mouth maneuver.
  • Infants (under 1 year): Mouth-to-mouth-and-nose maneuver.

Effective Ventilation Duration

Each rescue breath should last approximately 1 second.