Revised first-aid response times for construction sites

NOTICE: This is an OSHA Archive Document, and may no longer represent OSHA Policy. It is presented here as historical content, for research and review purposes only.

June 2, 1993

Ms. Diane Nix
Griffin Construction Company
[Recipient address omitted]
Dear Ms. Nix:

This is in further response to our letter of October 23, 1992 in which we answered your August 14, 1992 letter requesting the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to clarify the requirements in 29 CFR 1926.50.

Since our October response, we have had occasion to revisit the question and have revised our position with respect to the maximum response times. A maximum limit of fifteen minutes is now recognized by OSHA as appropriate. However, conditions at each workplace must be evaluated when a first aid program is developed to ensure that it is adequate to meet anticipated needs. For example, the first aid program requirements for a construction workplace will differ from those for an office environment such as at a home office.

Where a medical facility is near the workplace, 29 CFR 1926.50(a) requires the employer to insure the following:

a. In areas where accidents resulting in suffocation, severe bleeding or other life threatening injury or illness can be expected, a 3 to 4 minute response time is required. In other circumstances, i.e., where a life-threatening injury is an unlikely outcome of an accident, a longer response time of up to 15 minutes is acceptable.

b. If employees work in areas where emergency transportation is not available, the employer must make provisions for acceptable emergency transportation.

We apologize for any inconvenience our earlier letter may have caused you.

If you have any questions, please contact either myself or Mr. Dale Cavanaugh of my staff at (202) 219-8136.

Sincerely,
Roy F. Gurnham, Esq., P.E.
Director
Office of Construction and Maritime
Compliance Assistance

[Earlier OSHA letter reproduced on OSHA page; omitted here.]