First Aid Courses with PGL Midlands
Accidents happen no matter how safe you think your workplace is. During the 2018-19 work year, more than 581,000 people suffered workplace injuries, and 111 people died at work. In order to satisfy their legal duty to their employees, employers must have the necessary personnel and training for responding to an on-premises accident. First Aid training is the only way for companies to fulfill their legal obligations. PGL Midlands helps you find the right first aid training for you and covers the basics of this training in today’s blog.
What are the legal requirements for companies?
All employers are required by the Health and Safety Regulations 1981 to have adequate staff and training in place to deal with accidents and injuries in the workplace. To cover for staff absences, they should have an adequate number of trained workers on hand. Whenever possible, there should always be at least one staff member with first aid training on-site.
Why is first aid important?
It can mean the difference between life and death. When a serious accident occurs, immediate action to deal with injuries and prevent imminent danger can change lives. While waiting for medical professionals to arrive on the scene, an individual’s condition can worsen without the right training. American Heart Association statistics show that 45% of cardiac arrest victims survive when first aiders perform CPR, a technique used to restart blood circulation.
What are the main principles of first aid?
When performing first aid, three principles need to be taken into account:
- Preserve life
Making sure the individual is not in mortal danger is the first step. To do this, ensure the individual is not in immediate danger. Nevertheless, this will require the aider to make a judgement call in order to avoid putting themselves or others at risk while trying to help.
- Prevent deterioration
The aider must prevent the person’s condition from getting worse once any immediate danger has been avoided. You should avoid moving the injured individual so they do not aggravate their injuries further, and you should clear the area so medical professionals can attend to them quickly and without interruption.
- Promote recovery
Here is where the aider starts helping the victim recover. The steps will depend on the nature of the injury, for example, stopping bleeding or putting them into a recovery position.
Which first aid course is the best?
A wide range of courses are available at PGL Midlands. First Aid at Work and Emergency First Aid at Work are two of our most popular courses. The courses are endorsed by Qualsafe and result in a nationally recognized certification valid for three years.
Both courses cover many of the same essential areas of workplace aid procedure, but the First Aid at Work course goes much more in-depth. First Aid at Work takes place over three days, while Emergency Aid only lasts one day. Depending on your responsibilities at work and the level of training your employees have, your employer may have a preference as to which course you should take.
Among the skills learners will develop on these courses are:
- Managing unresponsive casualties
- CPR
- How to handle choking
- ABC
- Addressing bleeding, wounds, and other minor injuries
As part of the full First Aid at Work course, students will also learn how to assess first aid situations, respond to heart attacks and handle people suffering from spinal injuries.
What is ABC in first aid?
For first aid to be effective, it is imperative to ensure that the individual is breathing correctly. This can be achieved by remembering ABC; Airways, Breathing, and Circulation.
Airway
- In an unconscious state, a person’s tongue has a very easy time blocking their airway. As a result, oxygen cannot enter the body, resulting in suffocation. It is for this reason that a recovery position is so important, as it puts the individual’s body at an angle that prevents the tongue from blocking the airways.
Breathing
- If you are in any first aid situation, you should make sure the individual is breathing. If they are not breathing, you may need to resuscitate them. You can usually see if their chest moves up and down in a breathing motion, but you can also feel for air by holding your hand above their mouth or nose.
Circulation
- If a person is moving, their circulatory system is working. Check for signs that blood is circulating in their body. Whenever possible, the first aider should place two fingers on a person’s neck or underside of their wrist if they are unconscious to see if there is a heartbeat. In the absence of a heartbeat or breath, CPR may have to be performed; however, it is always a last resort.
First Aid e-learning:
Our suite of e-learning courses also provide remote first aid training. These can be completed from home, or anywhere with an internet connection. Furloughed employees or those who work from home can take advantage of these opportunities to continue their development and improve their skills.
Mental health first aid:
- In addition to providing aid for physical injuries, more and more organizations are recognizing the importance of having mental healthaiders on staff. Mental health first aiders will be able to recognize when those around them suffer from disorders and addictions such as depression, anxiety, and other types of disorder.
- While having a mental health first aider on site is not a legal requirement as of yet, it can be a huge step in protecting the welfare of staff. In addition to increasing employee morale, and reducing the number of days lost to illness across the organization, identifying and addressing mental health issues in colleagues early can prevent more serious long-term physical and psychological harm for them.
Get Your Training Done with PGL Midlands
- First aid training is very important and every person should consider doing it, there are many reasons why first aid courses are essential. What can PGL do for your training needs? Visit our online course index to view our complete list of courses, NVQs, and more! Our team is also available by phone if you call 0121 240 0375 – You can also send us an email at info@pglmidlands.com.
