First aid training

[daylen]

I've got my three day first aid at work course in a couple of weeks.

At my company, we are not required to have first aiders, but we have chosen to pay for anyone who wants it. I was more than surprised when out of 20 staff only 3 people came forward. We're paying for the course and the course is during work time, so also fully paid.

[Yorkshire Andy]

At my company, we are not required to have first aiders,

Who told you that ? I'd love to see the assessment

I've worked in a variety of workplaces from offices to farming and with my elf and safety hat on a minimum of 3 first aiders is usually required for fixed work places be it efaw (one day course for office workers) to faw (3 day) for higher risk which now covers on top what was once FAW+F one first aider isn't usually good enough if the first aider gets hurt.... 3 gives cover for injuries / sickness / holidays / days off

Coupled with suitable kit... I work in a remote area our kits all include celox gauze , tourniquet, and trauma dressings... Plus a site AED

Employers' legal duties
The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require employers to provide adequate and appropriate equipment, facilities and personnel to ensure their employees receive immediate attention if they are injured or taken ill at work. These Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with less than five employees and to the self-employed.

What is 'adequate and appropriate' will depend on the circumstances in the workplace. This includes whether trained first-aiders are needed, what should be included in a first-aid box and if a first-aid room is required. Employers should carry out an assessment of first-aid needs to determine what to provide.

The Regulations do not place a legal duty on employers to make first-aid provision for non-employees such as the public or children in schools. However, HSE strongly recommends that non-employees are included in an assessment of first-aid needs and that provision is made for them.

https://www.hse.gov.uk/firstaid/legislation.htm

[daylen]

Who told you that ? I'd love to see the assessment

Sorry, I should have been more clear: we're not required to have trained first aiders.

This is from the Unison website, but it's repeated lots of places:

"It is not a legal requirement that all employers have a fully trained first aider, but someone must be appointed to take charge of first aid in the workplace."

This is what we do. I'm confident that we're legally compliant, especially seeing as we now have 3, soon to be 4 first aid at work trained first aiders.

[jansman]

Well, today my boss should be very glad he has a trained first aider on site. He was doing a maintenance job and cut himself quite badly. He is a butcher like me, and takes cuts in his stride. I got the shout, grabbed the first aid kit ( saw the trail of blood so grabbed a couple of clean tea towels on the way past. I stemmed the bleeding in short order, and told him he was going to hospital. We both agreed it need stitching. Anyhow, his son went to fetch a car to take him, and I had to move mine to let him out.

Upon returning, one of the staff told me the boss had taken poorly. He had. Grey, clammy, sweating like a pig, and the giveaway- pains in chest and arms. I told them to get a medic now! He’s having a heart attack. Next thing, he’s on the deck, lips blue and very, very laboured breathing.

Those of you here who are trained, know what is coming next… straight into chest compressions. He’s hardly drawing breath now, so it’s 30 rapid compressions and two rescue breaths. I had done 3 cycles, and I told the girls if there were any customers out there first aid trained ( I am the only one there- bad management). As luck would have it there was a diving instructor in the queue. I was into the fourth cycle, and he came and took over whilst I caught my breath. It’s hard work. By now the medic is on the way, and a code for the de- fib next door , given. As luck would have it, we went into the seventh cycle, and he started to breathe independently. Thank God! We didn’t need the de fib. Soon after, the paramedics turned up, and it was taken out of our hands. I made sure the dive instructor got his lunch for nothing, and will do from now on I reckon.

Another day at The Fun Factory.

[GillyBee]

You get all the excitement don't you Jansman! I do hope your boss is OK. Sounds like the dive instructor is not the only person who deserves a reward.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Pay rise next week then

Hope you released all the workplace stresses he's ever put on you on his rib cage

Bet you'll get whatever first aid kit you need and additional first aiders next

[jansman]

Pay rise next week then

Hope you released all the workplace stresses he's ever put on you on his rib cage

Bet you'll get whatever first aid kit you need and additional first aiders next

Spot on! We’ll get more first aid training for sure. As for knocking seven bells out of him ( as much as I would have liked) but the training kicked in. I don’t doubt that there are members of staff who would have liked a different outcome, as he ain’t the nicest bloke.
Gillybee; life happens to me. That simple. Keeps things interesting, for sure.
I don’t know about you, but the above scenario was my worst nightmare.

[Yorkshire Andy]

Yes I agree about it been the worst thing to set up and "deal" with primary reason is as you'll be well aware is the very low chance of recovery without a AED .. suppose knowing you had one at hand was a small relief even though in the end you didn't need it....

Im not fussed by gore as long as it's not me ..

Think I mentioned a while back to you privately about Mrs A carrying out resuscitation in our street on a elderly lady who she bought a couple of extra days for her family to say their goodbyes .... And wound up with flowers and thank you card been delivered to her work from her family .. then a award from work and a bottle of champagne (national firm saw it make them look good)

Least you will alway have the knowledge that you've kissed the boss of ever you want to embarrass him

[Nurseandy]

Good stuff jansman - shakes you up bit too doesn't it? I once resussed (successfully) a mate who dropped in the pub in front of me (anything to get out of a round eh? ). Resussed many a patient at work but doing it when off duty actually got me a bit emotional.

[jansman]

Good stuff jansman - shakes you up bit too doesn't it? I once resussed (successfully) a mate who dropped in the pub in front of me (anything to get out of a round eh? ). Resussed many a patient at work but doing it when off duty actually got me a bit emotional.

It does shake you up,for sure.It will be something that stays with me.After that,I cleaned up and shut my section early.As Yorkshire Andy says,without an AED the potential outcome is not positive.We got lucky.The chap who helped me,a diving instructor,told me he had used an AED 5 times. Won two,lost three !

The very reason I got trained was because about four years ago,the grandfather of my daughters ex husband had a heart attack one Sunday morning.His son lived next door,and came to help mum,but neither knew what to do,and sadly,he did not survive. I didn’t want to be in that situation.

Yorkshire Andy: I got a message from the boss’s son last night.He’s doing ok,but he does have a couple of cracked ribs!