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Preventing infection and using PPE
What is infection & PPE?
Infection control in first aid is about protecting yourself, the casualty and bystanders from avoidable exposure to blood, body fluids and respiratory droplets by using simple barriers and good hygiene. This matters in every setting, not just hospitals, because first aid often involves close contact, open wounds and shared equipment.
While the absolute risk of catching serious infections from giving first aid is low when basic precautions are used, neglecting PPE and hygiene can lead to preventable transmission of viruses and bacteria and may breach organisational policies or regulatory expectations. Thoughtful infection prevention also reassures casualties that their dignity and safety are taken seriously.
Basic infection prevention measures such as hand hygiene, gloves and safe disposal of waste significantly reduce the risk of transmitting infections during first aid, including blood-borne viruses.
Who needs this skill?
Health & Social Care
In health and social care, infection prevention is embedded in everyday practice and first aid must align with wider policies on standard precautions, sharps safety, isolation and outbreak management, as well as any additional requirements during incidents such as flu or COVID-19 waves. Clinical staff must also consider organism-specific risks, such as C. difficile, MRSA or blood-borne viruses, when planning their approach.Licensed venues & nightlife
In nightlife and licensed venues, staff may deal with blood, vomit and other body fluids in crowded, low-light environments; ready access to gloves, eye protection, cleaning materials and sharps procedures is essential to protect staff and customers and to satisfy licensing and public health expectations.Schools
Schools handle frequent minor injuries and childhood illnesses, so consistent use of hand hygiene, gloves and safe waste handling protects pupils, staff and families while supporting infection control and attendance.Workplaces
In workplaces, employers must provide suitable PPE and hygiene facilities as part of their health and safety arrangements, and first aiders should be trained to use gloves, hand washing or sanitiser, eye protection where needed and safe disposal of contaminated waste. Sectors like manufacturing, cleaning, waste management and personal care have additional risks that need explicit consideration in risk assessments.How to manage infection & PPE
- 1Perform hand hygiene before and after contactClean your hands before and after each episode of care using soap and water or, if hands are visibly clean and not soiled with body fluids, an alcohol-based hand rub.If soap and water are available, they are preferred after contact with body fluids or potential contaminants; ensure hands are dried thoroughly.
- 2Use appropriate PPEWear disposable gloves when you may come into contact with blood, vomit or other body fluids, and consider eye protection and aprons if splashes are likely or if the casualty has a respiratory infection.Choose PPE based on the task and risk, not habit; over- or under-protecting can both create problems.
- 3Avoid direct contact with body fluidsUse dressings, pads or cloths between your hands and any wound, and encourage casualties to manage their own tissues or vomit where possible, disposing of materials in suitable clinical waste or sealed bags.Never re-use single-use items, and do not eat, drink or smoke while providing first aid.
- 4Clean and decontaminate surfaces and equipmentAfter an incident, clean any contaminated surfaces and reusable equipment according to local policy, using appropriate disinfectants and ensuring sharps are placed in approved containers if used.Record any exposure incidents, such as needlestick injuries or splashes to eyes or broken skin, and seek occupational health or medical advice promptly.
- 5Dispose of waste safelyPlace contaminated dressings, gloves and other disposables into designated clinical or hazardous waste containers, or if unavailable, into robust, sealed bags labelled for appropriate disposal.Do not leave blood-stained materials in public or staff areas; this is both an infection risk and a reputational issue.
This guide is a learning reference only. It does not replace attended, assessed first aid training.
Qualifying courses
Qualsafe Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid (RQF)
2 days
3 years
Common questions
Practical answers for employers, venue managers, and healthcare teams about infection & PPE training.
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Gloves are strongly recommended whenever you might contact blood or body fluids, but lack of gloves should not stop you giving life-saving care such as chest compressions if there is no obvious contamination risk. Where possible, use available barriers like dressings or plastic bags while still prioritising the casualty’s immediate needs.
The risk of acquiring HIV or similar infections from first aid is extremely low, especially when standard precautions such as gloves and hand hygiene are used; most documented transmissions relate to sharps injuries or unprotected contact with large amounts of blood. If you do have a significant exposure, seek prompt occupational health or emergency advice for appropriate follow-up.
During outbreaks such as COVID-19, some guidance has emphasised compression-only CPR for lay rescuers to reduce infection risk, while trained staff may follow different guidance with appropriate PPE. You should follow the current advice provided in your training and by your organisation, balancing infection risk against the benefits of full CPR.
Wash the area with soap and water (or irrigate eyes with plenty of clean water or saline), encourage bleeding of puncture sites, report the incident immediately and seek urgent occupational health or emergency assessment for possible post-exposure prophylaxis. Do not delay reporting because early assessment is critical for some infections.