How to save someone from choking

Introduction

In the event of a conscious employee choking at your business, here are the five steps to take recommended by the Red Cross.

Steps

If you encounter a conscious individual who might be choking, encourage them to cough. If the victim is unable to cough, speak or breathe do the following:

1. Call 9-1-1.
2. Administer 5 back blows
3. Administer 5 abdominal thrusts
4. Repeat

Call 9-1-1

If there is someone besides you and the choking victim, immediately send them to call 9-1-1. If you are alone with a conscious choking victim only call 9-1-1 after or if you are unable to give them back blows or abdominal thrusts.

Administer 5 back blows

Communicate to the victim before hand what you are doing, then lean them forward and give them 5 back blows.

Administer 5 abdominal thrusts

If back blows don't work or the choking appears to be getting worse you need to perform abdominal thrusts on the choking victim. Here is how the Red Cross describes how to perform abdominal thrusts:

1. 1. Get behind the person and position your thigh between their legs so that you can brace your hip against their lower back.

1. 2. Reach your arms around them and make a fist with one hand, covering it with the other.

1. 3. Position your interlocked hands against the person’s abdomen (about 3 inches above their belly button).

1. 4. Keep your elbows pointing out and in one motion quickly thrust your fist in and upwards.

Repeat

Repeat abdominal thrusts until the object that the person is choking on is forced out and they return to their normal breathing again.

See also

• How tos Human resources
• Category:How tos

External links

• American Red Cross[1]