Emergency Care for Choking Supplemental Poster

Emergency Care for Choking Safety Poster

Help employees recognize and respond to a choking emergency with the Emergency Care for Choking Safety Poster. This easy-to-read first aid poster provides a visual reference for identifying severe airway obstruction and taking appropriate emergency action when an adult, child, or infant is choking.

Choking can become life-threatening within minutes when a foreign object blocks a person's airway. Knowing the warning signs and understanding basic choking response procedures can help employees act quickly while emergency medical assistance is being obtained.

What Is Choking?

Choking occurs when the airway becomes partially or completely blocked and prevents normal breathing. Food is a common cause of choking, but foreign objects and other materials can also obstruct the airway.

A person with a mild airway obstruction may still be able to cough or speak. A severe airway obstruction can prevent the person from effectively coughing, speaking, crying, or breathing and requires immediate attention.

What Are the Signs of Severe Choking?

Employees should recognize common warning signs that may indicate a serious airway obstruction, including:

• Inability to breathe normally
• Weak or ineffective coughing
• Inability to speak or cry
• High-pitched sounds or little to no sound while attempting to breathe
• Clutching the throat
• A panicked, confused, or distressed appearance
• Pale or bluish skin as oxygen levels decrease
• Loss of responsiveness if the obstruction is not relieved

What Should You Do if an Adult or Child Is Choking?

For a conscious adult or child with a severe foreign-body airway obstruction, current emergency cardiovascular care guidance recommends alternating 5 back blows followed by 5 abdominal thrusts until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive.

Employees should activate emergency medical services when appropriate and follow their level of first aid or CPR training.

• Recognize the signs of severe choking
• Call 911 or activate the workplace emergency response system
• Give 5 back blows between the shoulder blades
• If the obstruction is not relieved, give 5 abdominal thrusts
• Continue alternating 5 back blows and 5 abdominal thrusts
• Continue until the object is expelled or the person becomes unresponsive

What if the Choking Person Becomes Unresponsive?

If a choking person becomes unresponsive, carefully lower the person to a firm, flat surface and begin CPR according to your level of training while emergency medical services are being contacted or are on the way.

When providing trained choking and CPR care, look in the mouth for a visible object at the appropriate point in the CPR sequence. Do not perform a blind finger sweep because this can push an object farther into the airway.

Choking Response for Infants

Choking procedures for infants are different from those used for adults and older children. Current guidance recommends alternating 5 back blows with 5 chest thrusts for a conscious infant with severe airway obstruction until the object is expelled or the infant becomes unresponsive.

Abdominal thrusts should not be performed on an infant. Employees responsible for infant care should receive appropriate pediatric first aid and CPR training.

Special Choking Situations

Standard abdominal thrusts may not be appropriate in every situation. For example, chest thrusts may be used instead of abdominal thrusts when a person is obviously pregnant or when the rescuer cannot effectively reach around the person's abdomen.

Employees should follow procedures taught through a recognized first aid and CPR training program and contact emergency medical services when a severe airway obstruction occurs.

OSHA Workplace First Aid Requirements

OSHA addresses workplace medical services and first aid under 29 CFR 1910.151. When an infirmary, clinic, or hospital used to treat injured employees is not in near proximity to the workplace, OSHA requires a person or persons to be adequately trained to render first aid.

OSHA also requires adequate first aid supplies to be readily available. Employers should evaluate their workplace, hazards, emergency response needs, and applicable requirements when determining appropriate first aid training and supplies.

Where Can a Choking Safety Poster Be Displayed?

The Emergency Care for Choking Safety Poster can provide a useful visual first aid reference in locations such as:

• Restaurants and commercial kitchens
• Employee break rooms and cafeterias
• Schools and childcare facilities
• Healthcare and care facilities
• Hotels and hospitality businesses
• Food-service operations
• Retail workplaces
• Offices and administrative workplaces
• First aid stations
• Employee safety and training areas

Is a Choking Poster Required by OSHA?

OSHA establishes workplace first aid requirements under applicable circumstances, but this particular Emergency Care for Choking Safety Poster is intended as a supplemental employee first aid, training, and emergency-awareness resource and should not be represented as a universally required OSHA workplace poster.

This poster does not replace hands-on first aid or CPR training, emergency medical services, workplace emergency procedures, or other applicable workplace safety requirements.

Keep Choking and First Aid Information Current

First aid and emergency cardiovascular care recommendations are updated periodically as medical evidence develops. Employers should ensure that employee training and emergency response procedures follow current guidance from recognized first aid and CPR training organizations.

Emergency Care for Choking Poster Specifications

• 8.5"W x 11"H
• Portrait orientation
• Printed in full color
• Laminated with high-quality laminate
• Available in English and Spanish

Workplace First Aid and Safety Resources

Labor Law Compliance Center provides employers with labor law posters, workplace safety posters, specialty postings, and compliance resources for businesses throughout the United States. Browse our Workplace Safety Posters for additional choking, CPR, first aid, emergency response, fire safety, and employee safety materials.