The state government division of workplace health and safety and queensland health recently conducted a

First Aider’s responsibility in relation to the administration and
supply of scheduled drugs in the workplace
• First aiders are not authorised to administer or supply scheduled medications and may be • The Advisory Standard for First Aid in the Workplace states that the initial treatment provided by first aid personnel should be consistent with the First Aiders level of training and competence. First aid training courses do not teach first aiders to manage illness and injury by the use of medication. First aiders cannot reasonably be expected to have knowledge of the medications they are using, such as correct drug dosage, indications for use, precautions associated with use, drug interactions and contraindications. A first aider who chooses to medicate others may be acting beyond the scope of first aid practice and may harm the patient. (This obviously does not preclude staff members from self-administering prescribed and over-the-counter medication.) • First aiders in the workplace do not administer scheduled medications or act beyond the scope • First aiders understand the provisions of the Poisons Regulations and the legal implications of • Written procedures are followed for the use of antidotes for hazardous chemicals; eg., hydrofluoric acid and cyanide (see Guidelines).
It is recommended that you obtain a copy of the Advisory Standard for First Aid in the Workplace;
this explains the procedure for conducting a risk assessment on First Aid in your workplace. The
Advisory Standard is administered by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, and can be
downloaded from their website
Please ensure that first aid officers (whether nominated or unpaid), supervisors and workplace
health & safety officers in your department are aware of their responsibilities in this area. Further
information is provided in the attachment “Medications used for First Aid in the Workplace”.
For further information regarding First Aid in the Workplace and Nominated (Paid) First Aid
Officers, please ring the Occupational Health Nurse Adviser on 3365 54883.
First aiders responsibility in relation to the administration and supply of scheduled drugs in the workplace ATTACHMENT 1:

Medications used for First Aid in the Workplace – July 2008
Fact Sheet

POPULATION HEALTH BRANCH Fact Sheet
Medications used for First Aid in the Workplace
(Information for Employers and Employees)
Introduction

Audits conducted by the Department of Workplace Health and Safety in relation to scheduled
medicines in the workplace have concluded that the inclusion of scheduled medicines in first aid
kits is not
warranted. This recommendation is reflected in the Health (Drugs and Poisons) Regulation 1996
which prohibits the stocking of first aid kits with scheduled medications.
If your workplace first aid kit contains any medications which are labelled as:
. PHARMACY MEDICINE
•
PHARMACIST ONLY MEDICINE
•
PRESCRIPTION ONLY MEDICINE
. CONTROLLED DRUG
They must not be held in the kit or used by first aiders or occupational health and safety personnel
to treat people in the workplace. Suppliers of first aid items are not permitted to sell these
substances for use in workplace first aid kits.
Prohibited medications
There are a number of scheduled medicines which are prohibited for use in workplace first aid kits.
For example:
Analgesics
Paracetamol or Aspirin (in packets containing more than 25 tablets), Panadeine, Disprin, Codeine-
based products.
Eye Treatments
Albalon, Antistine-Privine, Visine, Murine.
Burn Creams
Mediderm, Derm-aid, Medi-crème, Silvazine.
Cold and Flu Products
Benadryl, Codral, Demazin, Difflam, Duro-Tuss, Orthoxicol, Sudafed.
Other Products
Brondecon, Mercurochrome, Polarmine, Claratyne.
OH&S Unit /University Health Service - Guideline First aiders responsibility in relation to the administration and supply of scheduled drugs in the workplace
Due to their nature, these medications can only be obtained from a doctor or dispensed by a
pharmacist for individual use. This ensures that people only receive appropriate medications and are
advised by a professional about how to use them safely. Employees can legally obtain any
medication they may
require from a doctor or pharmacist for their personal use. These medications must not be used by
any other person and must be stored in a way which does not allow other people access to them.
Public health and safety

This law is designed to protect the health and safety of employees in the workplace, by limiting
access to medications which should only be supplied by a doctor or pharmacist. However, a
registered nurse may administer a schedule 2 or 3 poison, provided the medication has been
obtained by a doctor employed by the workplace and the registered nurse or doctor considers the
medication is necessary for a person's well-being. If multiple doses are required, the person should
consult a pharmacist or doctor.
Asthma medication

A specific exemption exists in the regulation for individuals who have undertaken appropriate
asthma management training. These individuals are legally allowed to purchase schedule 3
salbutamol and schedule 3 terbutaline (eg. Ventolin), and administer it to the extent necessary to
perform first aid at a workplace or community event. This provision does not allow for asthma
medication to be handed out; but rather to be administered to individuals by disposable/single use
spacers. Further, the asthma medication should be stored in a way that only permits its
administration by a person with appropriate training.
Further enquiries

Further information regarding poison retailers’ obligations can be obtained by contacting any of the
Population Health Units (or Thursday Island Primary Health Care Centre) shown below.
Population Health Unit Postal Address
Telephone No
Brisbane Northside Locked Bag 2, Stafford DC Qld 4053 Brisbane Southside PO Box 333, Archerfield Qld 4108 Medications used for First Aid in the Workplace – July 2008 OH&S Unit /University Health Service - Guideline First aiders responsibility in relation to the administration and supply of scheduled drugs in the workplace

Source: http://uq.edu.au/ohs/pdfs/fadrugs.pdf