If one of your employees had a first aid emergency at work, would you know what to do? Would any of your staff members know? It’s not something any of us want to think about, but with vast swathes of people working from home, it’s likely that many designated first aiders are no longer in their workplaces.
While the law dictates that businesses need a first aider, just having one means your business could be missing out on a whole host of benefits. In this article, we’ll be addressing the pros of having a much larger number of your staff trained to provide first aid.
#1 Inspiring confidence
Learning first aid isn’t just about helping someone in an accident or medical emergency, it also requires learning how to operate calmly and confidently in a potentially challenging situation. Panic and fear are big reasons for situations to go from bad to worse and we’re all impressed when someone steps in to calmly take control.
A first aid course can give your employees the confidence they need to deal calmly with first aid situations as well as other stressful occurrences in their work and lives.
#2 Increases awareness
First aid training courses bring far greater awareness of safety issues than you might imagine. As adults, we might think that we have a pretty good grasp of the dangers of everyday life but a training course will soon turn that assumption on its head.
Increased safety awareness could reduce accidents in the workplace and stop potential problems before they turn into something damaging.
#3 Team-building
It’s all too easy to get wrapped up in work and lose touch with your colleagues. Team building exercises might get a groan from the team in the planning stages but they usually turn into enjoyable events and remind employees why they enjoy coming to work; to be part of a team.
First aid training can be a little daunting for anyone, particularly as the stakes can be high when it comes to a real-life first aid situation. This makes it a perfect team-building exercise, where everyone is learning together, helping each other and gaining an understanding that their skills may one day save the life of somebody present.
#4 Lifelong skill acquisition
First aid training doesn’t just help your employees in the workplace, it’s a skill they will take out into the world. Why refreshers courses are always a good idea every few years, a solid first aid course will give learners a skill they can use for the rest of their lives.
#5 Reduction in recovery time
First aiders don’t just give emergency treatment, they are trained to help out in the most basic situations as well as prevent an injury from getting worse in the time it takes medical help to arrive. The sooner a first aider acts, the more minor an injury may be. This means that your injured or ill staff member might be saved from a lengthier time off, helping both them and your business.
#6 Appropriate use of first aid kits
Every business has a first aid kit but does anybody know how to use it beyond the classic plaster? If your designated first aider is on holiday when an accident happens, no one else may understand how simple the problem is to solve by using the first aid kit appropriately.
By taking a first aid training course, all of your staff members will know what everything in the kit is for, how to use it and when to order replacement contents.
If you’re looking for a kit for your office or clinic, we have simple to use first aid kit suitable for many workplaces.
#7 It could save a life
At the end of the day, if there is a first aider in the immediate area when an accident or medical emergency happens, there’s a greater chance of the patient receiving life-saving help. First aiders understand how to assess dangers to themselves and the patient as well as what treatment to provide or how to keep the patient in the best possible condition while waiting for further help.
While paying for training courses for your staff might seem like an unnecessary outlay not demanded by the law, it’s really a fundamental skill that could save a life.
First Aid in the Workplace
To find out about your legal responsibilities regarding first aiders at your business, check out the Health and Safety Executive’s guidance on the matter. To find first aid in the workplace courses, take a look at the St Johns Ambulance’s website. There are hundreds of first aid training providers throughout the country and you’ll often find local training providers in your nearest town or city.
