Life Saving Skills For The Workplace in Canberra
Introduction
Life-saving skills can be used in any workplace and in every community. If you're interested in learning how to provide first aid or resuscitate a person, Higgins Solutions provides first aid and CPR courses in Canberra.
We've all heard it before: a workplace is a dangerous place, especially if you don't know what you're doing. In fact, statistics show that there are more than 100 deaths in Australia each year due to occupational disease or injury. Considering how much time we spend at work (and how much we value our lives), these numbers are scary! To help you stay safe in your workplace environment, here are some life-saving skills for employers and employees alike:
CPR
CPR is a lifesaving skill that you can use in an emergency. It's not meant to be a replacement for proper medical attention and should only be performed if there are no signs of life, such as breathing or a heartbeat. CPR should be done on adults, children and infants who have stopped breathing normally.
CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and is the process of keeping blood flowing through the body following cardiac arrest by using chest compressions and rescue breaths. Anyone can learn how to do CPR—no matter what age or experience level you're at, it's never too late to learn these skills!
First Aid
First aid is the initial treatment given to an injured or ill person before professional medical help is available. First aid is usually performed by a layperson and may be carried out in many different circumstances: in the workplace, at home and in recreational contexts such as sports.
The goals of first aid are to prevent death and serious disability following an illness or injury; promote recovery from a minor illness or injury; provide comfort and reassurance for people who have suffered an emotional shock from observing serious injuries inflicted on others (particularly where someone has been killed), and to protect yourself against bloodborne pathogens when providing care for victims. The term "first aid" originally meant only aiding someone's quick recovery from surgery; however, it can also refer to preventing further complications such as infection.
Use of Defibrillator (AED)
An AED is a device that allows someone to give electric shocks to the heart, in an effort to restart it. The correct use of an AED can be the difference between life and death in cases of sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). If you are trained in the use of an AED, you can use it on yourself or another person who has collapsed from SCA.
It is important to understand how to do this quickly and correctly. The early use of defibrillation can improve survival rates for people who suffer cardiac arrest by 20-30%. Strokes kill 4 Australians every hour – that's around 15,000 deaths each year. For every minute that passes without treatment, there is a 7% reduction in the likelihood of surviving a stroke.
Fire Safety Training
Fire safety training is essential for all employees. It teaches them how to react during a fire and what to do if they are trapped in a burning building. Fire safety training also covers how to use the fire extinguisher, evacuate the building, and set off the fire alarm system.
Every employee should complete a fire safety course before starting work at your company. This way, each person knows how best to handle themselves when there is an emergency in the workplace or elsewhere on-site (such as an evacuation).
Evacuation Procedures
Evacuation procedures are essential for all employees regardless of the industry or business they work for. If there is a fire, electrical failure or earthquake, employees should know how to evacuate from the building and where to go once they have evacuated.
In a building with an evacuation procedure, staff should evacuate to their designated assembly area. In most cases, this would be outside or in a safe area on site away from any potential hazards. Staff should only re-enter after emergency services have given an all-clear signal.
If you find yourself trapped inside due to smoke inhalation or some other reason, you should remain calm and breathe through an air filter device such as an N95 mask (if available). The best way to exit is by crawling low under smoke until you reach fresh air outside; however, if this does not work for any reason then use one of the emergency doors marked ‘Emergency Exit’ along with any others available – but remember: there may be more than one door marked ‘Emergency Exit’ so check before leaving!
Conclusion
Whether you’re working in a factory or a retail shop, it can be important to know how to keep yourself safe. You might not think of yourself as someone with life-saving skills, but there are plenty of things that anyone can do to keep themselves safe at the workplace.