1926.50: Medical Services and First Aid on Construction Sites

(a) The employer shall insure the availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of occupational health. Open (a) 5 citations

(b) Provisions shall be made prior to commencement of the project for prompt medical attention in case of serious injury. Open (b) 26 citations

(c) In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, hospital, or physician, that is reasonably accessible in terms of time and distance to the worksite, which is available for the treatment of injured employees, a person who has a valid certificate in first-aid training from the U.S. Bureau of Mines, the American Red Cross, or equivalent training that can be verified by documentary evidence, shall be available at the worksite to render first aid. Open (c) 408 citations

(d) Open (d) 57 citations

(1) First aid supplies shall be easily accessible when required. Open (d)(1) 55 citations

(2) The contents of the first aid kit shall be placed in a weatherproof container with individual sealed packages for each type of item, and shall be checked by the employer before being sent out on each job and at least weekly on each job to ensure that the expended items are replaced. 2 citations

(e) Proper equipment for prompt transportation of the injured person to a physician or hospital, or a communication system for contacting necessary ambulance service, shall be provided. 4 citations

(f) Open (f) 3 citations

(1) In areas where 911 emergency dispatch services are not available, the telephone numbers of the physicians, hospitals, or ambulances shall be conspicuously posted.

(2) In areas where 911 emergency dispatch services are available and an employer uses a communication system for contacting necessary emergency-medical service, the employer must: Open (f)(2) 3 citations

(i) Ensure that the communication system is effective in contacting the emergency-medical service; and Open (f)(2)(i) 3 citations

(ii)

(A) When using a communication system in an area that does not automatically supply the caller's latitude and longitude information to the 911 emergency dispatcher, the employer must post in a conspicuous location at the worksite either:

(1) The latitude and longitude of the worksite; or

(2) Other location-identification information that communicates effectively to employees the location of the worksite.

(B) The requirement specified in paragraph (f)(2)(ii)(A) of this section does not apply to worksites with readily available telephone land lines that have 911 emergency service that automatically identifies the location of the caller.

(g) Where the eyes or body of any person may be exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facilities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and body shall be provided within the work area for immediate emergency use. Open (g) 133 citations

First aid supplies are required to be easily accessible under paragraph § 1926.50(d)(1). An example of the minimal contents of a generic first aid kit is described in American National Standard (ANSI) Z308.1-1978 “Minimum Requirements for Industrial Unit-Type First-aid Kits”. The contents of the kit listed in the ANSI standard should be adequate for small work sites. When larger operations or multiple operations are being conducted at the same location, employers should determine the need for additional first aid kits at the worksite, additional types of first aid equipment and supplies and additional quantities and types of supplies and equipment in the first aid kits.

In a similar fashion, employers who have unique or changing first-aid needs in their workplace may need to enhance their first-aid kits. The employer can use the OSHA 300 log, OSHA 301 log, or other reports to identify these unique problems. Consultation from the local fire/rescue department, appropriate medical professional, or local emergency room may be helpful to employers in these circumstances. By assessing the specific needs of their workplace, employers can ensure that reasonably anticipated supplies are available. Employers should assess the specific needs of their worksite periodically and augment the first aid kit appropriately.

If it is reasonably anticipated employees will be exposed to blood or other potentially infectious materials while using first-aid supplies, employers should provide personal protective equipment (PPE). Appropriate PPE includes gloves, gowns, face shields, masks and eye protection (see “Occupational Exposure to Blood borne Pathogens”, 29 CFR 1910.1030(d)(3)) (56 FR 64175).

[44 FR 8577, Feb. 9, 1979; 44 FR 20940, Apr. 6, 1979, as amended at 49 FR 18295, Apr. 30, 1984; 58 FR 35084, June 30, 1993; 61 FR 5510, Feb. 13, 1996; 63 FR 33469, June 18, 1998; 76 FR 80740, Dec. 27, 2011; 84 FR 21575, May 14, 2019]