Severe Bleeding Control
A person with severe bleeding can bleed to death in minutes, often before an ambulance arrives. Saws, grinders, glass and machinery can all cause this kind of injury. You can stop it.
- Everyone
Photo: commercial tourniquet applied high on the upper arm
Signs of life-threatening bleeding
- Blood that is spurting or pulsing
- Blood pooling on the ground or soaking through clothing
- Loss of part of an arm or leg
- The person is confused or losing consciousness
What to do
- Call 911 and get the bleeding control kit or first aid kit. Put on gloves if available.
- Find the source of the bleeding; expose the wound.
- Apply firm, steady pressure directly on the wound with both hands, using gauze or cloth. Don’t let up.
- Pack deep wounds (especially in the groin, armpit or neck) tightly with gauze, then hold firm pressure.
- Use a tourniquet for severe arm or leg bleeding: place it 2 to 3 inches above the wound (not on a joint), tighten until the bleeding stops, and note the time. It will hurt; that’s expected. Don’t loosen it.
- Keep the person warm and lying down until help arrives.
Stop the Bleed: free and low-cost classes teach these skills in about an hour. Jobsite first aid kits should include a commercial tourniquet and hemostatic gauze.
Standards & references
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