First Aid - Choking
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Choking can happen to anyone, at any time, and in any workplace. Common incidents like choking on food is a serious hazard, and employees need to know what to do when it happens. Decrease the risk of choking incidents by learning how to recognize when someone is choking and the steps you need to take to help them. Knowing how to handle these events can be the difference between non-critical injuries and a tragedy. Content is intended to supplement formal training conducted by recognized providers such as the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association and others. It is not intended to refresh existing training offered by these providers.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Choking can happen to anyone, at any time, and in any workplace. Common incidents like choking on food is a serious hazard, and employees need to know what to do when it happens. Decrease the risk of choking incidents by learning how to recognize when someone is choking and the steps you need to take to help them. Knowing how to handle these events can be the difference between non-critical injuries and a tragedy. Content is intended to supplement formal training conducted by recognized providers such as the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association and others. It is not intended to refresh existing training offered by these providers.
Languages: English
Media Editing: The video module(s) in this subject are editable under our Content Studio offering unless otherwise indicated. For more information about Content Studio, contact your CSM.
Description: Choking can happen to anyone, at any time, and in any workplace. Common incidents like choking on food is a serious hazard, and employees need to know what to do when it happens. Decrease the risk of choking incidents by learning how to recognize when someone is choking and the steps you need to take to help them. Knowing how to handle these events can be the difference between non-critical injuries and a tragedy. Content is intended to supplement formal training conducted by recognized providers such as the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association and others. It is not intended to refresh existing training offered by these providers.
Topics
What to do When an Adult is Choking
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This topic teaches learners how to recognize when an adult is choking and the proper steps to help dislodge the blockage. Steps include asking the choking person to cough, giving effective back slaps, and performing abdominal thrusts. This topic concludes with next steps if the obstruction is still stuck and what to do until emergency services arrive.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
Video module
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This topic is currently available in English.
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Choking needs to be recognized and handled quickly because brain damage occurs shortly after being deprived of oxygen.
You can recognize when someone is choking because they may be grasping their throat, anxious, having difficulty speaking, persistently coughing, and/or developing blue skin.
When you suspect someone is choking, calmly ask if they are choking and tell them to cough it out, which may be enough to remove the obstruction.
If the choking person cannot cough out their obstruction, you must give back slaps to help dislodge the blockage.
To give effective back slaps, lean the choking person forward while supporting their chest and give five sharp blows with the palm of your hand to their back between the shoulder blades.
If a person is choking, and slapping their back does not remove the obstruction, you must give abdominal thrusts to help dislodge the blockage.
To give effective abdominal thrusts to someone who is choking, stand behind them, wrap your arms around them, and form a fist between their belly button and chest. Then, grasp your fist with your other hand and pull sharply inwards and up five times.
In cases where the choking person is too large for your hands to reach the area between their belly button and chest, do the same steps on their breast bone instead, or instruct them to use a chair or desk to perform self-abdominal thrusts.
In cases where the choking person is pregnant, do chest compressions instead of abdominal thrusts to avoid hurting the woman or the baby.
If a person is still choking after you have slapped their back and/or given abdominal thrusts, check to see if anything is in their mouth, and ask them to remove it. Do not remove it yourself in case they bite down.
If a person is still choking, call your local emergency number as serious help may be needed.
When waiting for emergency services to arrive, alternate between giving five back blows and five abdominal thrusts until the blockage clears or help comes.
If they become unresponsive, open their airway and check their breathing. If they are not breathing, call your local emergency number and give CPR, if you are qualified, until help arrives.
How to Perform Abdominal Thrusts
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In this topic, learners are taught the proper steps and technique required to perform effective abdominal thrusts. This topic also teaches how to do chest compressions to dislodge an object from someone’s airway; chest compressions are vital to know if the victim is pregnant, or if the helper can’t get their arms all the way around the victim’s waist.
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Questions (level 1, 2, 3)
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This topic is currently available in English.
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You should perform abdominal thrusts when someone is choking and when giving them back slaps does not remove the airway obstruction.
To give abdominal thrusts, first, step behind the person and wrap your arms around their waist.
After you wrap your arms around the person, form a fist with one hand, and place it between their belly button and chest.
After you place your fist between the person’s belly button and chest, use your other hand to grasp your fist, and pull sharply inwards and upwards.
When performing abdominal thrusts, you must pull in and up on the choking person five times to effectively attempt to remove the airway obstruction.
If you cannot reach around the person, (larger people or pregnant women), form a fist on their breast bone, and do the same pulling motion on that area instead.
If the person choking is too large to wrap your arms around their chest, tell them to lean over a chair or table, and have them push the chair or table against their diaphragm inwards and upwards.
If the person is pregnant, do not perform abdominal thrusts. Instead, use chest compressions to avoid hurting the woman or the baby.
If the person choking becomes unconscious, call emergency services, and perform CPR if you are qualified to do so.
Preview of topic image for “How to Perform Abdominal Thrusts” as this topic is questions only.
