First aid provides an essential role for both employers and employees in the workplace. This is why first aid is so important for everyone whilst at work. First aid training will not only benefit individuals at work, but it can also help people in everyday life in wider society too. Having the privilege of being first aid trained could be a matter of life or death in an emergency situation. In the event of an accident or emergency, first aid can be essential. Read on to learn more about first aid and the benefits of why it is so important.
What Is First Aid?
First aid is the first and immediate assistance given to any person with injury or illness - whether that be serious or minor injuries or illnesses.
First aid care aims to prevent the injury or illness from worsening, it can stabilise an injured person's condition, promote recovery and even be used or needed to preserve life until a medical professional is present and can help.
Who Should Have First Aid Training?
The absolute minimum for a low-risk work environment like a small office or shop should be a first-aid kit. Businesses such as these should also have an appointed person to take control and charge of any first-aid procedures. That appointed competent person will be in charge of calling the emergency services if necessary.
Employers also must provide information about first-aid arrangements to their employees. In places of work where higher risks and health and safety concerns are present, then a person who is trained in first aid is likely to be required.
Doing a first aid assessment will help you decide the appropriate first aid arrangements that will be needed for your place of work. The findings of your first-aid assessment will help you decide how many first-aiders you need.
Benefits of First Aid at Work
Many of the benefits of learning first aid for the workplace are included for you below.
Reduces Workplace Accidents
First aid training helps employees learn to be more conscious of health and safety at work. This can help reduce the number of accidents and injuries that happen in the first place. Being more safety aware brings the number of accidents that happen at work down.
Saving Lives
The most important thing about first aid is that it saves lives in the workplace. First aid gives staff the confidence and skills to be able to react immediately in an emergency situation. Many lives have been saved due to the reaction of CPR.
CPR is taught in first aid training and is applied to those during critical and life-threatening accidents or health complications. It can be applied at work and outside of work too.
Your Organisation Will Be a Safer Place
Many large companies give first aid training. This is always beneficial to the employers, employees and anyone on the premises. Fully first-aid-trained workers help to give employers peace of mind that their staff are safe and can positively contribute to an emergency if required.
First aid courses also help to promote safer working practices amongst all staff so the business will overall be a much safer place to be in.
It Can Benefit Outside of Work
First aid training is not just the responsible thing for employers to enforce and keep people safe within the workforce. Employees that complete the first aid training will have those skills for life and they will be able to help out in any emergency situation in or outside of work.
Refresher courses are also beneficial for employees to refresh what they have previously learnt in previous years. If employees have not had to put their first aid knowledge into practice, then vital information can easily be forgotten.
Refreshing previous leant information will be beneficial in making sure they know the correct procedures should they have to treat an injured or ill person. First aid-trained people can treat themselves, family or friends and even the public effectively if necessary in an emergency.
Beaconrisk
At Beaconrisk, we have an approved online Emergency First Aid Refresher Course that refreshes and highlights the most common emergencies and what you should do should you come across a situation where someone needs your help.
We can also offer you all the health and safety advice you need - our expert health and safety consultancy services can ensure you’re on the right track with all things health and safety, including first aid.