What to Do If Someone Faints at Work: A Guide for Employers and Apprentices

What to Do If Someone Faints at Work: A Guide for Employers and Apprentices

Fainting can happen unexpectedly, including in the workplace. Knowing what to do if a colleague, apprentice, customer, or visitor faints can help you stay calm and respond safely.

Fainting is when someone briefly loses consciousness because there is temporarily not enough blood flowing to the brain. Most people recover quickly, but fainting can sometimes be a sign of an underlying health problem or result in an injury from falling. Whether you’re an employer, apprentice or colleague, understanding the correct first aid response is an important part of staying safe at work.

The Causes of Fainting

There are many possible reasons why someone might faint. These can include:

• Standing up too quickly, particularly if someone has low blood pressure
• Not eating or drinking enough
• Being too hot
• Exhaustion or prolonged standing
• Experiencing severe pain or emotional distress, such as extreme anxiety
• Phobias
• Certain medical conditions, including heart problems
• Drinking too much alcohol or taking drugs

The Signs Someone May Be About to Faint

Someone who is about to faint may:

• Feel dizzy or light-headed
• Feel hot or cold
• Start sweating
• Feel sick
• Notice changes to their vision
• Say that they feel unwell or that they are going to faint

If someone tells you they feel like they are about to faint, encourage them to lie down with their legs raised if it is safe to do so. If they cannot lie down, they should sit down with their head lowered between their knees. Encourage them to drink some water if they are able to do so. The most important thing is to help them get somewhere safe where they cannot fall and injure themselves.

What to do if Someone Faints

If someone loses consciousness at work, try to remain calm and follow these steps.

1. Check if they respond:

• Gently shake their shoulders and ask loudly if they are okay.
• If they respond, reassure them and encourage them to remain lying down until they feel better.
• If they don’t respond, shout for help and check their airway and breathing.

2. Check their breathing:

• Gently tilt their head back and lift their chin to open their airway.
• Check whether they are breathing normally by looking for movement of their chest and listening and feeling for normal breathing for up to 10 seconds.
• If they are not breathing normally, call 999 and begin CPR if you are able to do so. Follow the instructions given by the emergency call handler.

3. If they are breathing normally:

• If the person is breathing normally and there are no signs of a serious injury, lay them on their back and raise their legs slightly. You can use a cushion, pillow, or suitable object such as a chair to do this.
• Give them space and make sure the area is well ventilated. Ask other people to stand back rather than gathering around them.
• Most people who faint regain consciousness quickly. Once they are feeling better, help them sit up slowly and carefully rather than allowing them to stand immediately.
• If they become unresponsive again, check their breathing and be prepared to respond accordingly.

4. If the person is pregnant:

• If the person is pregnant, particularly if they are more than 28 weeks pregnant, it is generally better to place them on their side rather than flat on their back.

Fainting is not always serious, but there are situations where urgent medical attention is needed. If you are concerned about the person’s condition, don’t ignore your concerns. Call 999 and follow the advice of the emergency call handler.

Call 999 if the person:

• Is not breathing normally
• Cannot be woken within one minute
• Has not fully recovered
• Has difficulty speaking or moving
• Has chest pain
• Has a pounding, fluttering or irregular heartbeat
• Has seriously injured themselves before or during the faint
• Is shaking or jerking and may be having a seizure
• Fainted while lying down

What to Do After Someone Has Fainted

Even if someone appears to have recovered quickly, it is important to take the incident seriously. Anyone who has fainted should speak to their GP to find out what may have caused it, particularly if it has happened before.

If you are an apprentice, you should also inform your employer or appropriate workplace contact about what happened. Employers should follow their workplace health and safety procedures and record or report the incident where required. If the person was injured during the fall, this should also be dealt with appropriately according to workplace first aid and incident-reporting procedures.

Fainting can be frightening to witness, particularly if it happens unexpectedly. The most important things are to remain calm, make sure the person is safe, check their response and breathing, and seek emergency assistance when necessary. For employers and apprentices alike, understanding basic first aid is part of being prepared for the unexpected.

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