Staff First Aid Training: 4 Things Your Employees Will Learn

If you own a business, it is important that your staff understand how to administer first aid. Emergencies can happen at any time. If a staff member or customer falls ill while in your place of work, it is important that people know how to react. There's a range of first aid courses which will give your staff the skills they need. Below is a guide to some of the things your staff will learn on a first aid course.

How to perform CPR

If a person stops breathing and their heart stops beating, the first aider will need to perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). CPR involves compressing a person's chest to pump blood around their body and breathing into their mouth to provide oxygen. CPR is only effective if it is performed properly.

How to help someone who is choking

Choking can occur for a number of reasons but one of the leading causes is food which goes down the wrong way and becomes stuck in the person's throat. When a person starts to choke on their food, you only have a couple of minutes to unblock their airway. If this is not done, then brain damage and death will follow. A person trained in first aid will understand how to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre. The Heimlich manoeuvre involves compressing a person's diaphragm so that high-pressure air exits their throat and unblocks it.

How to deal with burns

Burns can happen at any time. It could be that someone spills hot water and scalds themselves while making a cup of coffee or it could be that an employees clothes catch fire as a result of an industrial accident. Whatever the cause is, it is important that staff know how to react. On a first aid course, your staff will learn how to extinguish the flames if a person's clothes are on fire and how to care for burns. For example, they will which types of burns should have water applied to them and which should be covered with a burn bag to prevent infection.

How to assess and care for slips, trips and falls

Finally, the first aider will be trained in how to assess injuries which have been sustained following a slip, trip or a fall. No matter how safety conscious your workforce are, accidents can still happen. The first aider will be able to construct a splint to support a broken bone and will be able to assess any head injuries. If they feel it is necessary, the first aider will call in the emergency services.

For further information, you should contact a company which provides first aid training.