Companies constantly strive to ensure that all their employees are safe. The UK has several strict laws and norms that businesses have to adhere to with regard to occupational health and safety. These rules and regulations are put in place to save lives and protect employees and workers at their offices.
Most offices may seem like safe places to work, but some risks have to be considered in the long term. Accidents, falls, and more do not happen with warnings. Businesses need to comply with legal requirements to provide all employees with immediate first aid.
What Does First Aid Training Cover?
First aid covers a lot of emergency medical aid.
- Helping with migraines/ flu
- Tending to cuts and scratches
- Bandaging wounds
- Administering CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation)
- Applying slings and splints
- Heimlich manoeuvres
- Controlling bleeds
- Controlling trauma
- Dealing with unconsciousness
- Treating minor injuries
Let us look at some reasons why you should know first aid.
Save Lives:
It is common knowledge that employees who get trained in first aid can save countless lives in an emergency. While accidents in offices are rare, they are not entirely unheard of. Having trained first aiders can help save lives in case of fires, suffocation, or falls. First aid at work courses gives confidence and increases response time, which could be highly beneficial to someone in need.
In 2019-2020, nearly 694,000 people sustained injuries at workplaces across the UK. Fast reaction times, knowledge, and training in first aid helped save lives. Initial assistance during an injury or illness is the first step in protecting lives.
Reduce Workplace Accidents:
Awareness of instances (that can cause accidents) help prevent them. When employees and others are trained in first aid, they can become more conscious about safety. Understanding safety norms, reasons for accidents, and how to prevent them can minimise risk to others.
As employees become aware of safety rules, first aid, and how to help each other stay safe, the onus of reducing workplace accidents becomes shared. As the responsibility is shared, employees become more aware of the importance of first aid in daily life and at home with their families too.
Positive Work Environment:
Employers who make first aid training available to employees foster better relations. Ensuring employees get training together can be an excellent team-building exercise and can foster camaraderie between colleagues. Boosting employee morale by keeping each other safe is a fantastic way to ensure the work environment stays positive throughout.
The happiness and wellbeing of colleagues is a significant reason for solid relations and a good working environment. First aid training helps boost a greater understanding for enhanced morale and better wellbeing.
Prevents Death:
Unfortunately, deaths at workplaces are known to happen. Death can sometimes be prevented with the help of immediate first aid. Incidences like heart attacks, choking, falls, accidents, poisoning, breathing issues, allergies, and more can quickly be controlled with the knowledge of first aid.
Most workplace deaths occur because of an absence of immediate aid. Data about first aid suggested that 59% of deaths could have been avoided with the correct form of first aid. The proper training can help control the accidental deaths that occur when in risky or life-threatening situations.
Reduces Severity of Injuries:
It is often seen that severity in injuries can be prevented from being infected by antiseptic and first aid. As long as the care given is prompt, first aid helps reduce the chances of workplace injuries turning septic or infected. When wounds are left unattended for too long, dirt and dust may settle in, and they may get infected. This infection spreads rapidly in the body, causing a spread.
Proper first aid like applying antiseptic, cleaning the wound, bandaging, and securing the area helps reduce the severity of the injury until medical professionals and paramedics can look at the damage. Critical first aid like performing CPR at the right time is also known to save people from death. In anaphylaxis and severe allergic reactions that cause trouble breathing, the administration of an epinephrine auto-injector (Epi-pen) at the right time can also save lives.
Safety At Home:
First aid training helps people at home, especially those with children. Manoeuvres like the Heimlich have saved countless children and adults from choking. First aid is also critical for elderly citizens who may lose balance and fall—having someone who knows first aid can help them from staying stiff or getting hurt further.
Knowing when to save people and how to carry out first aid is a boon for everyone. First aid training is beneficial when someone has a cardiac arrest.
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