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Sand in Eye
Question: An employee at a foundry works with sand molding to produce cast iron parts. The environment can be dusty and sand can fly at times due to hammering or grinding parts. The employee leaves work at the end of his shift feeling fine. He goes home, showers, and goes to bed. The next morning, his eye is swollen and red. The ophthalmologist extracts a grain of sand from his eye using an alger brush. Is it recordable?
Answer: YES. Use of an alger brush is not listed as first aid and is therefore considered by OSHA to be medical treatment beyond first aid.
1904.7(b)(5)(ii) What is "first aid"? For the purposes of Part 1904, \"first aid\" means the following:
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(A) Using a non-prescription medication at nonprescription strength (for medications available in both prescription and non-prescription form, a recommendation by a physician or other licensed health care professional to use a non-prescription medication at prescription strength is considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes);
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(B) Administering tetanus immunizations (other immunizations, such as Hepatitis B vaccine or rabies vaccine, are considered medical treatment);
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(C) Cleaning, flushing or soaking wounds on the surface of the skin;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(D) Using wound coverings such as bandages, Band-Aids™, gauze pads, etc.; or using butterfly bandages or Steri-Strips™ (other wound closing devices such as sutures, staples, etc., are considered medical treatment);
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(E) Using hot or cold therapy;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(F) Using any non-rigid means of support, such as elastic bandages, wraps, non-rigid back belts, etc. (devices with rigid stays or other systems designed to immobilize parts of the body are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes);
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(G) Using temporary immobilization devices while transporting an accident victim (e.g., splints, slings, neck collars, back boards, etc.).
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(H) Drilling of a fingernail or toenail to relieve pressure, or draining fluid from a blister;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(I) Using eye patches;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(J) Removing foreign bodies from the eye using only irrigation or a cotton swab;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(K) Removing splinters or foreign material from areas other than the eye by irrigation, tweezers, cotton swabs or other simple means;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(L) Using finger guards;
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(M) Using massages (physical therapy or chiropractic treatment are considered medical treatment for recordkeeping purposes); or
1904.7(b)(5)(ii)(N) Drinking fluids for relief of heat stress.
1904.7(b)(5)(iii) Are any other procedures included in first aid? No, this is a complete list of all treatments considered first aid for Part 1904 purposes.