WHS 034–Toolbox/pre-start talks

Toolbox / Pre-start Talks

Workplace: Pemulway

Subject of Talk: Emergency First Aid Protocol for Snake Bites

Presented by:
Duration: 5 minutes Date:

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Points Raised / Comments:

Increased snake activity on site: -

It’s important that you do not try to kill or identify the snake. Snakes are not usually aggressive and do not
seek confrontation with humans but may retaliate if provoked. The important thing to remember is to
never attempt to catch or kill a snake – about 30% of snake bites occur when people are trying to do this.

In hospitals they no longer need to know the type of snake bit you; it doesn’t change treatment. There is a
universal Antivenom neutralizes the venoms of a snake bite.

The average time to death is 12 hours. That’s plenty of time to allow first aid treatment to occur, transport
and treatment from paramedics, and for you to be in the hospital.

When bitten, a snake injects some venom into the meat of your limb (NOT into your blood). This venom
cannot be directly absorbed into the bloodstream from the bite site. It travels in a fluid transport system
in your body called the lymphatic system (not the bloodstream).

The only way that the venom can get into your bloodstream is to be moved from the bite site in the
lymphatic vessels. The only way to do this is to physically move the limbs that were bitten. Stay still!!!
Venom can’t move if the victim doesn’t move.

The first aid treatment is a technique called Pressure immobilisation bandaging was developed to further
retard venom movement. It retards or stops venom /lymph transport toward the bloodstream.

It's important to have on hand the first aid treatment for a snake bite. Not all people that are bitten are
envenomated. However, it's so important to use a pressure immobilisation bandage for every bite. Just in
case.

Here is the snake bite first aid chart.

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