Every individual is susceptible to injuries, illnesses, and trauma. Even if your workplace doesn’t seem hazardous, accidents can happen. We never know when an accident may occur to a colleague or someone we love. It is always good to have someone with basic first aid training knowledge to handle critical situations, keeping them from getting worse until medical help arrives, especially in the work environment.
Having a team of well-trained first aid professionals at the workplace to administer First Aid to victims in case of accidents, mishaps, and occurrences is no longer something to neglect. Research has shown that the number of First Aid certified people an organization has, the safer it is. A trained staff could do this:
- Call the emergency services immediately.
- Stay calm.
- If someone is unconscious, trained staff can check their breathing and pulse. If the unconscious person is not breathing or has no pulse, the First Aid professional can start Resuscitation (CPR) by doing chest compressions until help arrives.
- Would not move injured persons unless there is a risk from fire or further injury and keep the wounded warm and comfortable until help arrives.
Many people need to have a basic knowledge of First Aid within any organization, irrespective of the industry.
Related: How To Identify Hazards In Your Workplace And Avoid Them
What Is First Aid?
Fast aid is the initial help given to a victim of injury or illness. Basic First Aid knowledge comprises relatively simple techniques and procedures with limited equipment, applied until professional medical help arrives. Having employees trained provides benefits that aren’t always obvious.
First Aid Regulation
The Health and Safety (First Aid) Regulation 1981 states that all workplaces must have:
1. A stocked first aid kit
2. An appointed first aider/s with adequate first aid training
3. Information and resources for employees highlighting first-aid arrangements.
Nine (9) ways first aid training can benefit your employee and organization
- Lower costs of insurance premiums and compensation claims
- Positive work culture
- Increased employee morale and loyalty
- Improves team working relationship
- Greater safety level for employees
- Helps you comply with the legal requirements of workplace safety
- Reduces downtime
- Helps reduce absenteeism because of illness/injuries
- Better customer service
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Lower costs of insurance premiums and compensation claims
Research has shown that first aid training reduces the costs of insurance premiums if a health emergency occurs. It can save your business a lot of money. In addition, first aid training helps reduces time off work because employees need medical attention because of an injury or illness caused by work activities (like lifting heavy objects). It means fewer hours spent away from the office and less money spent getting a temporary staff.
Positive work culture
Positive work culture is one essential benefit of first aid training for your business. It’s tough to achieve, but it’s rewarding when you do. Positive work culture is where staff are happy and safe at work and feel valued and supported by employers. When a business trains its staff, the staff will be more productive by providing better service through increased knowledge. With a good team behind you, everyone wins!
Increased employee morale and loyalty
If your employees know you care about their well-being and safety, they’re more likely to be loyal and respect you. First aid training helps them feel confident in their workplace, which means they can work more productively.
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Improves team working relationship
Teamwork is essential for any successful business operation, and improved training comes hand-in-hand with good company culture. Without collaborative effort between teams, there cannot be effective cross-functional communication or consistent delivery from each department within an organization that ultimately leads back up towards safety in the workplace.
Greater safety level for employees
Employee safety is the first step to a safe work environment, and first aid training is one of the most important ways to gain that. It will empower employees with the knowledge they can use in any setting. This knowledge helps create an atmosphere of trust and security among your workforce, encouraging them to speak up when they see something wrong.
Helps you comply with the legal requirements of workplace safety
There are legal requirements for First Aid in the workplace. A company that does not adhere to these will be responsible if an employee gets injured and cannot receive appropriate medical attention. It can cause hefty fines and other penalties and potential damage to your reputation. The Department of Labor established occupational safety and health in 1970, intending to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and fatalities and protect employees from physical hazards.
Reduces downtime
The more employees know how to handle a situation, the quicker they can get back to work. First aid training will help your employees know ways to deal with an injury and help the injured until medical help arrives. It allows them to focus on their jobs instead of worrying about who should do what.
It helps reduce absenteeism because of illness/injuries
Employee absenteeism because of injuries and illness can be costly for any company. However, providing first aid training to your employees helps reduce the number of absences because of such reasons.
First aid knowledge helps avoid injuries by educating employees about the risks associated with their work environment. It also helps them identify potential hazards and take steps to eliminate or minimize them.
Better customer service
Being able to handle emergencies in your business can affect customer service. Customers who feel safe are more likely to remain loyal, which means less staff turnover and better overall morale among your employees. They are more likely to provide excellent customer service in an emergency because they know that a quick response could mean the difference between life and death for someone who visits your establishment.
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Conclusion
Every business needs to have a first-aid solution that usually comprises three components: a plan, an assessment, and training. Whether it is a retail shop or your own office, there is always the possibility of accidents that can cause injuries. So, it is best to find an affordable solution that meets all the requirements and can save valuable resources from being wasted.
Medbury Medical Medtraining services offer a cohort of services that helps to monitor and control the environmental effects of production on the health of your staff. We have an extensive service offering with various aspects of Industrial Hygiene and Health Impact Assessments that are beneficial to health-oriented organizations.
Contact us today and let us help you build a team that can save lives!
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