Recent research has shown that 60% of people would not know what to do in an emergency situation. If an emergency situation were to arise right now, would you or your employees know what to do? Would you be able to react to the situation in the right way or would you be paralysed by your own panic? Have you forgotten everything you learned in your first aid re-qualification?
Many People Wouldn’t Know How to React
According to a survey by the St. John Ambulance, approximately 25% of workers said that they would do nothing in an emergency and would wait for the ambulance to arrive. While these workers might be afraid of doing the wrong thing and making the situation worse, they could have improved the situation by doing even a little bit of first aid.
Simple things such as opening up an airway, rolling a victim into the recovery position or elevating their limbs (depending on the injury) can make a big difference in the time before the ambulance arrives. The workers that were surveyed said that they would know what to do in an emergency situation.
However, when asked what they would do the researchers found that many people responded with the wrong answer. Unfortunately, these uninformed rescuers could very possibly make things worse. The ability to react to an emergency situation is very important and can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
Would you know the right thing to do to help someone who is severely bleeding, having a heart attack, unconscious and not breathing, or choking? This is why it is so important to have the appropriate First Aid Re-qualification in place for all employees who are responsible for providing first aid.
Your Responsibility for First Aid Knowledge
The most effective way to prepare yourself for an emergency situation is to ensure that you have the appropriate training. When someone has undergone first aid training, they will be prepared for an emergency situation and if disaster does strike, they will know exactly what to do and how to help the victims in need.
During the first aid course, the instructor will simulate a number of different potential situations where first aid assistance might be needed. In these situations, you must demonstrate that you have the knowledge to figure out how best to avoid hazards, help the victim, call emergency services and deal with the injury that is present. This knowledge is taught usually through theory, lectures and worksheets but is primarily learned and retained via hands on role play and simulations within the classroom. As an employer, it is your responsibility to provide training and ensure that there is an appropriate number of qualified first aiders on duty at your work place.
These qualifications need to recognised by the Health and Safety Executive. This includes the First Aid Re-qualification and refresher courses that need to be undertaken on a regular basis whenever the first aid qualification expires.