A member of your staff suffers a heart attack at work – do you know what to do next?
While calling 000 is essential, having the skills to administer CPR can make the difference between life and death in those precious seconds and minutes.
First Aid should be the cornerstone of every business’ health and safety strategy, but it seems it’s still an afterthought for an alarming number of businesses.
A report released last year found that 87 per cent of Australian businesses are not First Aid ready, while just 46 per cent of employees trained in First Aid had accurate knowledge of procedures and protocols in the event of an incident.
St John Ambulance Victoria launched 5 Steps to First Aid Readiness this week, a new initiative to help businesses minimise their workplace risks and be better prepared to respond to First Aid emergencies.
Theron Vassiliou, deputy CEO of St John Ambulance Victoria, said educating business decision makers about First Aid will enable them to put simple solutions in place.
“First Aid Readiness is not just about having people trained in First Aid. It’s about how all the components of First Aid work together to make a workplace safe: enough people trained, accessible and visible equipment, clear signage and procedures, and putting those in practice with First Aid drills,” Vassiliou said.
To take the first step to getting First Aid Ready, visit firstaidready.com.au
The 5 Steps:
- Undertake a First Aid Ready Assessment
- Ensure that each business has a correct Trained First Aider ratio and appropriate training options
- Accessible and visible First Aid equipment through signage, kits, and provision of First Aid rooms and defibrillators
- Drills and First Aid procedures appropriate to business needs
- An understanding of unique business needs through sector and industry assessments
