While it may sound like simply a good idea to have someone at your place of employment that’s trained in first aid, it’s actually a law, and that applies to companies of any size, no matter how small or large.
But beyond merely being legal, why else should a business embrace CPR training for their employees? Here are a few that extend beyond adherence to the letter of the law.
It Will Improve Employee Morale
Employee morale is one of the hidden factors that seeps into your bottom line. The happier and more content your employees are, the better they will work, the better type of work they will pump out, and the more your business will continue to grow.
This extends to the basic health and safety of the people that come to work everyday. A company that regularly employs first aid training will help ensure a workplace that is safe and make people feel secure during their time at the office.
It Will Cut Costs
One of the main reasons companies do not schedule first aid training is because of the cost. A single session with a licensed trainer for eight people at a worksite can cost anywhere from $280-$360. For some companies, especially the ones that want to train larger numbers of people, that’s a cost that many are not willing to pay.
But consider the costs of not having someone in every department that is trained in first aid. According to a recent report from OSHA, workplace injuries cost businesses in the U.S. nearly $170 billion every year, a number that could potentially be reduced if certain members on site were trained in administering first aid immediately.
If the cost is still too much to swallow for the time it will take to certify your employees, consider giving certain members of your staff first aid education through other means, such as attaining an ACLS certification online.
You Can Customize Them to Your Specific Industry
The basics of first aid do not generally change from site to site; CPR is performed the same way at an office as it is at a county tax office. But the advantage of having first aid training at your job site is that you can customize it to the challenges your employees face on an everyday basis. A construction company, for instance, may have safety training that involves treating cuts and flesh injuries, while first aid training for a restaurant may involve handling choking situations. Not only will this decrease workplace accidents, which will mitigate financial risks for your business, but it will also give your employees the tools they need to handle any type of situation should the need arise.
In addition to first aid training, it’s never a bad idea to help your employees go green. Some ways you can do this is by encouraging recycling, energy- saving light bulbs, and appliances. You can also buy solar panels for your building to set a good example of saving the environment.
You Will Empower Your Employees to Handle Crises
If something were to happen at your business tomorrow, what would the protocol be? Mandatory safety training at most worksites involve calling 911 and tending to the victim, but what would they do? How would they act? With the exception of first responders, the average citizen may not encounter very many emergency type situations in their life, so the idea of helping a critically ill person may not come naturally.
Having a plan for your employees to execute once an emergency situation arises isn’t just good sense, it can be the difference between life and death. Someone who is trained in CPR can begin the process while the ambulance is en route to the scene, and if the employees are familiar with the first aid kit that’s nearby, it will speed up the reaction and aid time for your employees. Moreover, if your workers know how to use an automatic defibrillator, treat bandages, set a splint, and manage the bleeding, that is less that the paramedics have to do once they arrive.
The Bottom Line
Workers that have been trained and drilled in how to respond to emergency situations will have a much better probability of springing into action once the occasion calls for it, since they feel capable to act. First aid training doesn’t cost much, but the effect on your business, and people’s lives, is invaluable.
