Even in the most safety-conscious workplaces, accidents can still happen. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), it’s the employer’s responsibility to provide a safe and healthy work environment by actively protecting workers from known occupational hazards.
However, despite risk mitigation efforts and safety precautions, employers cannot totally eliminate the chance of an incident occurring. Employees have the right to receive workplace safety training that can improve the response readiness of the entire organization when emergencies happen.
The Vital Importance of CPR Training
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) saves countless lives every year. In combination with basic first aid training, CPR training equips workers with the fundamental skills to bridge the gap in an emergency until medical teams can arrive on the scene. Requiring all workers to participate in CPR or first aid training makes it much easier to build a culture of responsibility and safety for everyone on the job site.
Immediate Response Saves Lives
When someone experiences a heart attack or stroke, precious seconds can make all the difference. This is why it’s essential for onsite first responders to receive adequate training on how to assess and respond to emergencies.
Response times for emergency medical services (EMS) will vary depending on where your worksite is located. Although average EMS response times are around seven minutes, this estimate doubles to 14 minutes in rural areas. In addition, approximately 10% of EMS calls to rural areas can take up to half an hour to arrive.
Universal Need for First Aid Training
With CPR-trained staff on the worksite, individuals experiencing an emergency have a far greater chance of surviving. In addition, employees with CPR training demonstrate greater confidence and calm during emergencies, which can drastically improve patient outcomes. That's why all employees should undergo basic first aid training.
CPR Training for All Staff
It’s important that everyone in an organization — from entry-level workers to managers and executives — receive basic CPR training. This training should cover:
- The tell-tale signs of a stroke or heart attack
- Proper chest compression techniques
- How the patient's age can affect the CPR procedure
The American Heart Association has extensive information on CPR guidelines for adults and children.
Situational First Aid Training
The hazards typically found on job sites like foundries or construction sites may not be present in office spaces or warehouses. As such, organizations should customize first aid training to emphasize specific situations and hazards employees are most likely to encounter at their workplace.
OSHA provides extensive safety training guidance specific to general industry, maritime, construction, agriculture, and more.
Implementing CPR Training in Your Business
First, you must accurately assess your workplace's unique health or safety hazards. For example, if working in confined spaces is commonplace on your job site, OSHA requires employees to complete training courses on administering CPR and first aid. Because every worksite is different, employers should create customized training programs covering their workers' unique hazards.
Assessing Workplace Hazards
It’s critical to properly identify the most prevalent hazards workers face in their specific industry and workplace. To do this, organizations should perform periodic workplace safety audits to reveal deficiencies in safety precautions, equipment maintenance, or operational procedures.
The National Association of Safety Professionals provides comprehensive guidance on performing effective workplace safety audits.
Choosing a Training Provider
A reputable and certified organization should conduct all CPR training courses. Numerous organizations offer certified CPR training, including the American Red Cross, the American Heart Association, and the National Safety Council.
Scheduling and Conducting Training
It may be helpful to schedule CPR training for employees in smaller groups over several days. This way, only a portion of your workforce is tied up in training at any given time. CPR training typically takes just a few hours. Maintaining accurate attendance and participation records is important to verify that all employees receive CPR training and remain up-to-date on their certifications.
Maintaining CPR Readiness
In general, CPR certification lasts up to two years before recertification is required. Since people's retention of CPR training begins to wane after one year, scheduling CPR refresher training every six months is recommended.
All first aid supplies, AEDs, and other emergency response equipment should also be up-to-date on inspections.
Refresher Courses
As mentioned, employees should receive refresher CPR training every six months, either online or in person. This helps workers retain what they've learned and improve their emergency readiness. The American Red Cross and American Heart Association websites have information on scheduling refresher courses.
Updating First Aid Supplies
First aid kits should be inspected regularly to ensure they meet OSHA guidelines. In addition to verifying that your first aid kits contain all necessary supplies, you should check the expiration dates on any medications and replace them as needed. OSHA provides a first aid kit checklist.
Benefits of CPR Training for Businesses
Businesses that offer CPR training to employees enjoy several benefits. In addition to improving overall workplace safety or emergency preparedness, CPR training enhances worker morale and trust. Most importantly, it reduces emergency response times and increases the likelihood of positive outcomes following an incident.
Safety and Preparedness
When all employees receive the same level of CPR training, the entire workplace becomes safer. And since CPR training includes education on how to identify warning signs of a heart attack or stroke, those who suffer cardiac arrest are far more likely to receive the emergency attention they need sooner.
Employee Confidence and Morale
Workers always prefer to work for a company that values their safety and well-being. By investing in CPR and first aid training, organizations can improve their workers' confidence, ultimately enhancing morale and retention rates. Extensive safety training can, therefore, enhance workforce productivity and satisfaction.
Improved Emergency Response
Without emergency intervention, the survival rate of individuals who suffer cardiac arrest outside of the hospital hovers around 10%. However, administering CPR quickly before emergency personnel arrive can drastically increase survivability. In many cases, the chances of survival increase to over 40% when a trained bystander puts their CPR training to immediate use.
Invest in CPR Training for a Safer and More Prepared Workplace
Providing employees with extensive CPR and first aid training is one of the best ways to protect the safety of your entire workforce. When you include CPR training in your existing safety plan, workers are far better equipped to respond quickly and appropriately to emergencies.
If you’re looking for expert support with scheduling CPR training, SafetyPro is here to help. Our safety consulting services will help your organization comply with all OSHA standards with onsite safety audits, training sessions, and process safety management solutions.
Reach out to us today to schedule your free consultation.
