djkre8r
Well-Known Member
This morning we encountered a "situation" that has never been covered during any safety meeting. What is the proper procedure regarding a co-worker passing out? We had just been carrying on a conversation and both walked into our respective trucks. I heard another worker ask my friend if he was OK. I looked and saw him slumped down in his truck.
At first I thought he had simply hit his head on a box (you know those that stick out a bit too far and just takes you out on occasions) and he had to sit down. I stopped the belt and went to his aid. He was looking into space and not responding to anything I said. I told my coworker (the one who discovered him) to get a supervisor and call an ambulance. At that point the passed out worker said he was ok and to not call 911. When a sup arrived, he started asking questions about previous history. The guy then responded "once before - what year is it?". At that time I ONCE AGAIN suggested calling 911. At my other job we are told it is not our part to make the 911 call but the supervisor in charge. The "downed" worker kept asking if it was break time and that he would be ok but just felt dizzy.
At this point we laid him back in the floor of the truck and started trying to gather more info. A sup called his wife and said she was on her way to the center. The plan (from the sups) was to have his wife carry him to the ER and get checked out. By this time, the others had taken our 10 minute break and returned to the belt. They wanted him to sit up but when he did - he got dizzy again and laid back down. A few minutes later he wanted to stand up and go to the office (with a little coaching from the sups to get him out of the way of production). I helped him to the office, had him lay down, and then insisted AGAIN to call 911. The initial call to 911 was 20 MINUTES AFTER HIS COLLAPSE. EMS arrived in 10 minutes, walked in with a duffle bag, and in 5 minutes had him on a stretcher. There was obviously something they saw they had them out of there quickly.
At the ER they didn't see anything wrong and were going to send him home until he had another spell. He is now being help over night for observation.
First - how dare them expect his wife to come pick him up and deliver him to the ER.
Second - what is the UPS protocol on getting 911 to a person in need?
After speaking today to an EMT friend and explaining what had happened - he said that 911 should have been called immediately! Prolonging the situation could have made his outcome even worse!
Not only am I disappointed in the way this was handled but, I am frustrated that we haven't been told or coached on how to react to a situation like this. As a safety co-chair and this was a fellow safety member - I WILL make sure this situation is NOT looked over! Any suggestions will be appreciated.
At first I thought he had simply hit his head on a box (you know those that stick out a bit too far and just takes you out on occasions) and he had to sit down. I stopped the belt and went to his aid. He was looking into space and not responding to anything I said. I told my coworker (the one who discovered him) to get a supervisor and call an ambulance. At that point the passed out worker said he was ok and to not call 911. When a sup arrived, he started asking questions about previous history. The guy then responded "once before - what year is it?". At that time I ONCE AGAIN suggested calling 911. At my other job we are told it is not our part to make the 911 call but the supervisor in charge. The "downed" worker kept asking if it was break time and that he would be ok but just felt dizzy.
At this point we laid him back in the floor of the truck and started trying to gather more info. A sup called his wife and said she was on her way to the center. The plan (from the sups) was to have his wife carry him to the ER and get checked out. By this time, the others had taken our 10 minute break and returned to the belt. They wanted him to sit up but when he did - he got dizzy again and laid back down. A few minutes later he wanted to stand up and go to the office (with a little coaching from the sups to get him out of the way of production). I helped him to the office, had him lay down, and then insisted AGAIN to call 911. The initial call to 911 was 20 MINUTES AFTER HIS COLLAPSE. EMS arrived in 10 minutes, walked in with a duffle bag, and in 5 minutes had him on a stretcher. There was obviously something they saw they had them out of there quickly.
At the ER they didn't see anything wrong and were going to send him home until he had another spell. He is now being help over night for observation.
First - how dare them expect his wife to come pick him up and deliver him to the ER.
Second - what is the UPS protocol on getting 911 to a person in need?
After speaking today to an EMT friend and explaining what had happened - he said that 911 should have been called immediately! Prolonging the situation could have made his outcome even worse!
Not only am I disappointed in the way this was handled but, I am frustrated that we haven't been told or coached on how to react to a situation like this. As a safety co-chair and this was a fellow safety member - I WILL make sure this situation is NOT looked over! Any suggestions will be appreciated.
supervisor too!!!!!!!!!!
