EMERGENCY PREPAPEDNESS

Any emergency may arise from unnatural cause endangering the normal Life and
property. It may result from three sources;
1. Act of individual,
2. Act of nature,
3. Act of GOD.

All activities in the world outside depend on cause and effect factor. In order to
prepare to meet any emergency the above basic law of nature should be understood. The
act of nature and act of god are beyond the scope of human perception the act of
individual or society may be a contributory cause for the emergency arising out of nature.

Even though efforts are constantly made to educate people to respect the law of
nature, the desired result are virtually “NIL”. The modern scientific advancement has no
doubt enhanced the standard of living but lowered the standard of LIFE.

The environment of modern life has become indresingly dangerous; particularly

in industries and on the roads with the increase of mechanization and the speed of
machinery. Accident prevention is more than preparing people for risks and training them
to cope with hazardous condition.

The old adage “prevention is better than cure” was never more true than hen
considering the subject of Accident prevention within industries. In any industry the
Employer and employees should understand their duties and responsibility.
EMPLOYER EMPLOYEE
Safety Hygiene
Health Education
Environment Resource
The subject on industrial safety and Human resource Development is well known to the
industries. Hence let us discuss on the subject of Emergency Preparedness.
ACCIDENTS ARE NOT ACCIDENTAL; THEY ARE CAUSED
Despite significant advances in conquering many of the challenges to the safety,
health and wellbeing of workers, thousands of work related deaths still occur every year,
each of which is preventable. In addition thousands of workers are injured in work related
accidents, took ill due to occupational diseases and become handicapped, disabled
through out their life. Every accident leading to injury or death of workman preceed three
factors namely the workman himself, his faulty act and the hazard,
1. The workman:
If the worker is ill chosen for the job, uninformed, untrained or irresponsible or if
he is worried or ill. The age of the worker may also play a part.
2. Faulty act:
Due to omission or commission on the part of the workman; lack of proper
methods of instruction, bad workroom discipline and by non-adherence to
working rules.
3. The Hazard:
A hole in the shop floor, loose handles littered gangway or missing machine
guard and improper house keeping.

Generally, the following type accidents take place in industries.

1. ASPHYXIA: Lack of Oxygen in the Air may suffocate the person leading to
unconsciousness and death.

2. BLEEDING INJURIES: A fall from a height. Incised or punctured wound may

cause severe bleeding.

3. BURNS AND SCALDS: This may result from Dry heat or moist heat, friction or
chemicals.

4. FRACTURES: The fractured bone may cause injury to the nerves and blood vessels
and may make the person disabled.
1. ASPHYXIA:
(a) Dangerous Gases:
 Carbon dioxide
 Chlorine, Sulphur dioxide, ammonia, by causing severe irritation of respiratory
track.
 Phosgene and Nitrous fums.
 Carbon Monoxide, Arsinl.
 Benzene, Hydrocyanic acid and hydrogen sulphide.
(b) Electric shock: Stoppage of heart.
(c) Unconsciousness: when a person remains unconscious on his back, his tongue
may fall back and obstruct the wind pipe or vomited matter may block the wind pipe.

In all the above circumstances, the person may stop breathing leading to death
within few minutes. The person should be rescued and has to be carried out most1y in
confined spaces such as tanks, tunnels, sewers and in small working enclosures. The
rescuer must protect himself with Gas Masks or fresh Air breathing apparatus before
entering the gas filled atmosphere and remove the person as quickly as possible.
Depending upon the condition of the person, we have to apply the LIFE
SAVING TECHNIQUE known as CPR— Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation without
delay; for even few minutes of delay in restoring the oxygenated blood to the brain,
irreversible damage may take place to the brain substance. The first-aid to be rendered on
the spot by a well trained First-Aider is A B C

1) Airway clearance of: When any obstruction in the Respiratory Track, Respiratory
mechanism and Respiratory Centre in the brain is removed within 3 minutes, normal
breathing may be restored, If it is not possible—Do the B

2) Breathing Restoration of: By mouth to mouth or mouth to nose artificial respiration

till the natural breathing is restored or the Medical authority declare that further efforts
are of no avail. Even after considerable period of time the person is not regaining his
normal breathing, then/checkup for the heart beat for circulation of blood, if the heart is
not function- Do the C

(3) Circulation of Blood: By reviving the function of the heart by applying the external
Chest compression.

THE APPLICATTON OF CARDIO PULMONARY RESUSCITATION

In all cases of unconscious person’s the first thing that has to be checked whether he is
breathing or not by placing the first aider’s ear over the nose of the Victim.

If breathing is absent, immediately commence artificial respiration by mouth to mouth

method. When the person is unconscious and lying on his back his tongue may fall back
and obstructs the wind pipe, hence the person’s head should be tilted.
MOUTH TO MOUTH RESUSCITATION
(i) Pinch the nose of the causality firm
(ii) Open his mouth and seal your lips around causality’s lips blow into his mouth
watching his chest rise. This should be continued at the rate of 1O breaths per minute.

EXTERNAL CHEST COMPRESSION:

Check the pulse at the carotid artery after every 10 breaths by mouth to mouth
method, in his neck by placing your fingers to the side of his voice box and pressing
gently down.

If you don’t feel pulse as above, it indicates that heart has failed thus failure of circulation
of blood to the brain.
1. Place the heel of your palm 2 fingers breadth above the pit of the stomach.
2. Place your other hand on top and interlock fingers.
 3. Keeping your arms straight press down 1 1/2 inches to 2 inches at the rate
of 60 times per minute (1 breath to 6 compressions).This will revive the
heart.
The compression should synchronize with the normal heart beat.

PLACING THE CASUALTY IN RECOVERY POSITION.

Even though the normal breathing has been restored to the casualty by the above
life saving technique he may remain unconscious for a considerable period of time. Now
the casualty should be placed in the recovery Position.
1. Place the arm of the side to which he has to be turned in 90 degree right angle.
2. Take the other arm and hold the palm with yours and place the back of his hand against
his cheek.
3. Hold his outer leg under his knee and slightly bend the knee.
4. Now holding his knee drag the leg towards yourself.

NOTE: It is important to practice these first aid techniques under trained supervision as
no text book description is a substitute for practical and experience.
ELECTICAL SHOCK
1. Switch off the current,
2. Remove the person from the contact of current by using a non-conducting
material (Any dry object other than metal and carbon is a non-conductor)
3. If the person is not breathing apply CPR/ABC.
In electric shock the heart may stop first before the breathing is stopped. So mouth to
mouth resuscitation and external chest compression have to be applied simultaneously till
he is transported to medical care.
Bleeding injuries:
There is no substitute for human blood. Hence it should not be lost. All bleeding
from an injury should be arrested by direct pressure over the injury with a clean dry
cotton pad and maintain for two minutes. When the bleeding is stopped apply bandage
and seek medical paid
If any for body is projecting from the wound and it cannot be removed without
causing further damage, arrest bleeding by indirect pressure at the appropriate pressure
point. A pressure point is one where an artery can be compressed against the underlying
bone to prevent the flow of blood beyond that point.

BURN AND SCALDS:

Burns are caused by dry heat and the Scalds by moist heat
Effects of Burns: I degree: Unbearable burning pain.
II degree: Blister formation.
III degree: Destruction of deeper tissues and disfigurement.
The burnt part should be cooled down immediately for 10 minutes by watch in cold water
and seek medical aid.
Fracture Fracture of bones may result from direct force, indirect force or muscular
pull.Immobolise the fracture by suitable means and seek medical aid.
NOTE: While rescuing a casualty from the accident spot care should be taken not to
bend his back so that further damage to his spine could be avoided.