PADI RTO First Aid Student Manual

HLTAID008 MANAGE FIRST AID SERVICES AND RESOURCES Maintain first aid records in line with legislative requirements and

workplace security practices It is vital that the occupational first aider fully documents all incidents where personnel seek advice or treatment relating to first aid and/or social problems The reasons for this are as follows: • Protection of the individual – progress of first aid management should be moni- tored and the facts surrounding a work injury/ illness stated immediately in case of ensuing controversy. • Protection of the company – accurate records give original facts; • Indication of patterns – provides data for the evaluation of illness/ injury trends. • Compliance with law – various Acts state that work injuries including death must be recorded by the employer. In certain instances where there has been a breach of safety regulations, immediate notification of the accident must be given to the relevant government department • The Workers’ Compensation Act states that in respect of a work injury or illness, the name and address of the injured person must be recorded with the date, place and cause of the incident in ordinary language. Requirements when documenting All documentation must be accurate and legible; • Record the facts as stated by the employee; • Do not write down opinions or hearsay Records must be written in ink and never erased. If a mistake has been made, cross out errors with a single line so that the original writing can still be read. Sign and date the correction and then add the correct record. All medical records must be kept strictly confidential: • Medical records should be stored in a locked cupboard and only the occupational first aider should have access to it; • Records must not be available to unauthorised personnel. Types of records The format of records varies from industry to industry, and company to company, depending on individual policy requirements and legislation. Personal record/casualty history card This record is strictly confidential and contains full details of all attendances to the first aid room. Personal details should be written on the top of the card and should include: name, date of birth, address, job, allergies and previous medical history. Recording should be precise and systematic for easy reference, making sure that only facts are recorded. Some companies have the worker’s pre-employment medical and audiometry records attached to the history card.

PADI RTO VIII-26