Whether your employees want to learn first aid for personal reasons or to use within the workplace, having first aid training is an extremely beneficial skill, and managers should encourage their employees to participate in the training. Medical emergencies are regular occurrences in the workplace which can be prevented with first aid knowledge. Those few extra minutes with someone who is first aid trained before an ambulance arrives may be the difference between life and death.
For anybody in the workplace, first aid could potentially be a lifesaving skill when you least expect for it to be used. However, there are a plethora of reasons to go on a professional first aid training course so don’t make the mistake of thinking that life-threatening situations are the only reason to attend.
- Having First Aid Training Employees Helps with Preventing Accidents in the Workplace
Unnecessary accidents in the workplace can be dangerous not only for the individuals involved but all employees in the vicinity. Often these accidents can be prevented from happening by observing simple health and safety guidelines. With this being said, having an employee or set of employees that are first aid trained could help prevent accidents from happening by enforcing such health and safety guidelines.
- In the Event of An Emergency, It Helps Employees Stay Calm
If people are unsure what to do in the event of an accident, then they normally panic under the pressure. Even worse, if they attempt to help the individual involved in the incident and are not first aid trained then the scope for making a mistake huge. Ultimately, this wastes valuable time in the event of an emergency and can even cause unnecessary fatalities. Training employees on what life-saving techniques to use and when to use them will help improve their confidence in the event of an emergency.
- It Can Reduce the Victims Recovery Time
Quick reactions in emergencies before more advanced aid such an ambulance arrives will save not only the patient’s life but also their recovery time. If the patient involved in the incident was an employee, then they will be able to return to work quickly which will have less of an impact on the company.
- Employees Will Be Trained with the Skills to Perform First Aid When Not at Work
If employees are first aid trained then the skills that they learn from doing a course goes far beyond just the workplace environment. As long as employees have been taught the correct techniques and procedures, then these can be applied outside the workplace. This means they by investing in your employees to become first aid trained in the workplace is also protecting them and others when not at work.
- Learning First Aid as a Group Can Be a Great Relationship and Team Building Activity
Just like any team bonding exercise, learning first aid as a team can be great for building relationships with fellow employees and managers. It can help with learning how to interact and communicate more effectively and within a different working context. First aid is all about thinking logically, quickly and acting responsibly and these qualities could also be applied to other areas of work.
- First Aid Trained Employees Will Be Able to Provide Better Emergency Treatment
A distinct advantage is that better treatment can be provided in the event of an emergency if employees are trained in first aid. It’s essential for managers and employees to do all they possibly can to ensure safety in the workplace and first aid training from a professional expert can be an excellent step to make.
- Emergency First Aid Kits Will Be Used Properly
An employee who is correctly trained will know precisely what should be in a first aid box and how to maintain it properly should it be needed in the event of an emergency. They will also know how to use it more efficiently should it be required.
- It Can Improve Job Opportunities and Career Prospects
Being trained in first aid care and holding a qualification can vastly improve your chances of employability if you are looking to find a new role. Throughout the first aid training process, many skills are picked up, and these can be highly transferable. The skills that you may learn could include communication, leadership, and teamwork which are attractive to present in front of a prospective employer.
Knowledge of first aid care promotes a healthy, secure and safer working environment, and instils confidence amongst employees, their families, and their colleagues. Basic first aid knowledge is beneficial when dealing with emergencies. Not just the medical help they provide, but the confidence they exhibit is very calming for the patient of an accident. Being trained to provide first aid is useful for everyone.
