| In today's society, it is vital for business owners | | | | to respond to a call. If employees are trained in |
| to provide their employees with first aid training | | | | general first aid and CPR, treatment can be |
| for a variety of reasons. Regardless of industry, | | | | administered in those crucial first few minutes |
| implementing a first aid training program for | | | | before medical help arrives. This can have a huge |
| employees ensures that they are ready to | | | | impact on the overall outcome or survival of the |
| respond to any medical crisis when needed. This is | | | | victim. |
| important for the safety of customers as well as | | | | Customer Safety |
| the employees themselves. | | | | People get hurt or suffer cardiac arrest in the |
| When a person suffers a medical crisis such as a | | | | most inopportune places. If injury happens at a |
| heart attack, it is often the first aid or CPR | | | | place of business, they expect employees to be |
| administered at the scene that ultimately saves | | | | trained to help them. Businesses typically want to |
| their life. The American Heart Association reports | | | | do everything in their power to ensure customers |
| that effective CPR, started immediately after | | | | have a good experience. Providing them with a |
| cardiac arrest, can double a victim's chance of | | | | safe environment is the ultimate way to show |
| survival. | | | | you care! |
| Here are four important reasons why a business | | | | On a secondary note, the publicity a business |
| can benefit from first aid training its staff | | | | receives as a result of a medical emergency |
| members: | | | | handled properly is excellent marketing. The |
| It's The Law | | | | general public knows that a business that takes |
| Based on the industry in which a business | | | | the time and money to properly train their |
| operates, first aid training may be required by law. | | | | employees in first aid and CPR techniques really |
| The Occupational Safety and Health Administration | | | | cares about people. The public will want to reward |
| (OSHA) oversees the first aid and CPR training | | | | that company by doing business with them! It is a |
| requirements for the workplace. OSHA | | | | win-win situation. The victim suffers less with |
| requirements typically concern industries that put | | | | proper first aid care and the business wins |
| their employees in harms way such as electrical | | | | accolades in the media. |
| power, health care, and construction. However, | | | | Insurance Premiums |
| even general industry businesses such as | | | | Every insurance company is different, but many |
| manufacturing, wholesale and retail have OSHA | | | | offer premium discounts for businesses that have |
| first aid training requirements to follow. | | | | offered first aid and CPR training to their staff. |
| Knowing where a business falls within the OSHA | | | | Liability insurance is sometimes one of the largest |
| requirements is a first step in determining the | | | | expenses a business faces. The ability to lower |
| type of first aid and CPR training to give | | | | this cost while providing a community service to |
| employees. Even businesses that are not required | | | | employees and customers is a huge advantage. |
| to administer training through OSHA can benefit | | | | There are many reasons to provide first aid |
| from having employees on staff that can provide | | | | training to employees, but one of the most |
| a broad range of first aid at any given moment. | | | | important is simply the fact that they can be |
| Employee Safety | | | | good stewards in the community and use their |
| Thousands of employees are hurt on the job | | | | training to help others no matter where they are. |
| every year in this country. This results in loss of | | | | If more citizens were knowledgeable about proper |
| work and less productivity. Some industries such | | | | first aid and CPR training, thousands of lives could |
| as construction and manufacturing have higher | | | | be saved each year. The American Heart |
| instances of injury than other less dangerous | | | | Association reports that 75 to 80 percent of all |
| businesses. Still, first aid training for all employees | | | | out-of-hospital cardiac arrests happen at home. A |
| ensures that if anyone is injured on the job | | | | person who received on-the-job first aid training |
| immediate action can be taken. | | | | could very well wind up saving the life of a loved |
| It typically takes several minutes for paramedics | | | | one! |