Diabetes Awareness for First Aiders

Approximately 4.3 million people in the UK live with diabetes — many work on construction sites daily.
Type 1 diabetes means the body produces no insulin; Type 2 means it cannot use insulin effectively.
Hypoglycaemia (low blood sugar) is the most common diabetes emergency encountered on construction sites.
Symptoms of hypoglycaemia include sweating, confusion, trembling, irritability, and loss of coordination.
Untreated severe hypoglycaemia can cause unconsciousness, seizures, and death if not managed quickly.
Hyperglycaemia (high blood sugar) develops more slowly but can also cause medical emergencies.
Workers with diabetes may carry glucose tablets, sugary drinks, or insulin injecting equipment.
Construction workers with diabetes face additional challenges from physical exertion, irregular meals, and heat.
The Equality Act 2010 protects workers with diabetes from discrimination in the workplace.
First aiders should know which workers on site have diabetes and where their medication is stored.

Time-critical response	Severe hypoglycaemia can cause unconsciousness within minutes — first aiders must recognise and treat it rapidly.
Common condition	With millions of diabetics in the UK, every construction site is likely to have workers managing the condition.
Misidentification risk	Hypoglycaemia symptoms including confusion and slurred speech are often mistaken for intoxication or drug use.

Do

Don't

Learn to recognise the signs of hypoglycaemia: sweating, shaking, confusion, pale skin.
Ask a conscious casualty if they are diabetic and when they last ate or took insulin.
Give a conscious hypoglycaemic casualty a sugary drink or glucose tablets immediately.
Know which workers on your site have diabetes and where their supplies are kept.
Call 999 if the casualty loses consciousness or does not improve within 10 minutes.
Place an unconscious diabetic casualty in the recovery position and monitor breathing.
Allow diabetic workers adequate time for regular meals and blood sugar monitoring.
Keep sugary drinks or glucose gel available in site first aid kits as standard.
Brief the site team on diabetes awareness during the general site induction.
Treat the worker with dignity and confidentiality regarding their medical condition.

DON'T assume a confused or unsteady worker is drunk — check for diabetes first.
DON'T give food or drink to an unconscious casualty — they may choke.
DON'T administer insulin to a casualty — only they or a paramedic should do this.
DON'T delay calling 999 if the casualty does not respond to glucose within minutes.
DON'T leave a hypoglycaemic casualty alone — they can deteriorate rapidly.
DON'T prevent a diabetic worker from eating or testing their blood sugar on site.
DON'T disclose a worker's diabetes to others without their explicit permission.
DON'T dismiss reported symptoms as attention-seeking — always take them seriously.
DON'T confuse insulin with other medications — never inject a substance you cannot identify.
DON'T discipline a diabetic worker for managing their condition during working hours.

See also: First Aid Response and Triage | Medical Emergency Response on Site

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