If one of your employees or a customer had a serious medical emergency while at work, would your staff know how to respond?

Unfortunately, most workers are not prepared to handle cardiac emergencies in the workplace because they lack training in CPR and first aid, according to a new survey by the American Heart Association.

The AHA found that most employers don’t train their workers in CPR and first aid, and half of workers could not locate an automated external defibrillator at work.

The findings reflect the poor preparation many people have for dealing with a medical emergency.

The AHA interviewed corporate safety managers, who pointed out the need for more frequent training. The survey found that:

• 33% of safety managers said that first aid, CPR and defibrillator training only became important and was offered after an incident demonstrated the need.
• 33% of safety managers said lives had been saved at home and at the workplace as a result of training provided at work.
• 75% of safety managers said injuries or medical conditions had been treated in the workplace with this training.
• 36% of safety managers felt it would be valuable to offer training more frequently than every two years (the current requirement).

Have at Least One Person on Every Shift Who Knows CPR

Employers can contact organizations such as the American Red Cross or a local private institution for training.

OSHA does not require that you have staff who know CPR and how to use a defibrillator, but it’s a good idea to have someone trained.

OSHA recommends CPR and defibrillator training as a best practice but doesn’t require it, except for a few high-hazard industries.

The AHA recommends that all employers offer first aid, CPR and defibrillator training because it can save lives.

If someone suffers a heart attack at work they have only a 5 to 7% chance of surviving while waiting for emergency medical services to arrive. Workers who receive immediate defibrillation, however, have up to a 60% survival rate one year after cardiac arrest, according to the AHA.

Safety experts recommend having at least one person on every shift that is trained in CPR and how to use a defibrillator. In fact, the more employees who are trained, the better.

All employees should know who on staff is trained so they can fetch them in case of an emergency.

The best approach is to have a full staff training manual on first aid, CPR and defibrillator use, which you should consider keeping in your office.

Everyone in your organization should know where the nearest defibrillator is located. It should be in a conspicuous place, like hanging on a wall.