Workplaces thrive when employees are prepared. And not just for projects and deadlines, but for unexpected medical emergencies, too. Most of us like to think this kind of thing won’t happen in our workplace. But the truth is that accidents, medical issues, and unexpected crises can unfold anywhere from construction sites to office boardrooms. First aid training builds confidence, saves lives, and ensures that when seconds matter, your employees will not hesitate to act.
Why First Aid Training Matters at Work
When people think of first aid training for the workplace, they often imagine a construction site or other place of employment where the physical risks are high. However, a medical emergency can happen anywhere, and it is important to have trained first aid providers on the scene who are ready to provide care.
First aid can mean many things depending on the situation:
- Splinting a broken wrist
- Stopping a wound from bleeding
- Performing CPR
- Mitigating an asthma attack
- Providing support to a stroke victim
- Any other situation where another person is in medical distress
When a medical emergency happens, what matters most isn’t seniority, speed, or even strength, it’s action. In the time before emergency services arrive, the difference between life and death could rest in the hands of the person closest to the scene. That’s why basic first aid training at work shouldn’t be given to just a few select staff. It should be an important part of everyone’s work-readiness.
The more trained individuals present onsite, the more coordinated the response. For example, one person can assess the victim. Another can call 911 and give the information to Emergency Medical Services (EMS). A third can retrieve the Automated External Defibrillator (AED) or first aid kit.
Emergencies Are Not as Rare as You Think
It’s tempting to assume that emergencies rarely happen or that someone else will handle the situation if it arises. This type of thinking works until it doesn’t! Certain high-risk industries, such as construction, manufacturing, and transportation, can be dangerously unpredictable. And even in an office setting where the external dangers are considerably less, there is always the possibility of a chronic illness flaring up, a stroke, or just plain bad luck with a trip, slip, or fall.
Don’t Let Fear of Liability Get in the Way
I think we can all agree that emergencies happen in any workplace, and the more individuals trained in first aid, the better! But many people still hesitate to receive this training, and the result is that many workplaces go unprotected. One major factor in this hesitation is fear of liability if something goes wrong. This is a reasonable fear! However, it is also mostly unwarranted: Good Samaritan laws protect first aid providers from legal consequences. The principles upon which these laws are built are simple:
- Act in good faith
- Act within your training
- Only provide first aid at the level required
A person with an understanding of these laws is more likely to attempt to save a life. If an employee is trained to perform CPR or use an AED, you don’t want them to hesitate to do so when needed. The fact is that dead is worse than injured. If a first aid provider must break a rib to keep a person alive with CPR, that is a worthwhile sacrifice that they will not be held responsible for.
Training plus confidence in personal abilities and the law is essential when a person is bleeding, in shock, or having an allergic reaction. They may not be dead yet, but they soon will be if no action is taken. The more people familiar with first aid basics, the better.
Understanding Consent in First Aid
It is also important for workers to understand the concept of consent, particularly to avoid hesitation based on liability issues. In a first aid situation, consent can be obtained (or considered to be obtained) in several ways. If the victim is conscious and able to communicate verbally, a simple “I know first aid. Can I help you?” is all that is necessary. They can then answer yes or no.
If the victim can’t communicate verbally (for example, if the victim is choking), a nod “yes” is also permission.
If the victim is unconscious or if they’re not alert enough to respond to your questions, first aid can begin. This is called implied consent, as it’s reasonable to assume a person in that condition would want assistance if they could say so.
If the victim is a child and no guardian is present, first aid can begin under implied consent. The first aider should still identify themselves and explain their training and that they are there to help.
Protecting Oneself While Helping Others
It is also important for workers to keep themselves safe in an emergency! Not all risks are over once an incident has occurred. Employees must learn:
- The importance of a hazard check (bare wires, tripping hazards, smoke, etc.) before beginning first aid
- How to protect themselves from bodily fluids or airborne hazards with gloves and/or a mask
Training in basic first aid and related issues surrounding safety and consent makes the workplace safer. Trained employees are more likely to act quickly, confidently, and competently.
Prepared People, Safer Workplaces
First aid should not live in a binder. Employee safety also shouldn’t be the responsibility of the one person on shift who took a course two years ago. Instead, it should live in everyone’s muscle memory. Everyone should be ready to help if called upon.
Train everyone. React faster. Save lives.
Equip Your Team to Save Lives
Are you starting to realize that your office or worksite is unprepared for when disaster strikes? Would you like to ensure more employees are ready and willing to handle a first aid emergency? Then consider BIS Safety Software’s Basic First Aid course! The course material contains many in-depth topics including those discussed above plus calling for help, the basic steps of CPR, what happens after EMS arrives, and more.
Throughout the course, there are self-assessment questions and scenario-based activities that take the user through a real-life situation that requires first aid knowledge.
Activities include:
- How to select items for your first aid kit
- Identifying hazards around an injured coworker before assisting them
- Exploring an AED and its instructions
- Experiencing a real-life simulated incident where learners must decide the next steps to help an unconscious victim who is not breathing
There is a final exam and a certificate of completion for each learner who demonstrates sufficient knowledge of the course material.
Contact BIS Safety Software to begin your staff’s first aid training, today!
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