First Aid in the Workplace
First Aid. That’s what it’s called because that’s what it is, the First response to an injury or accident to provide Aid.
Accidents aren’t orchestrated, they are opportunistic, unexpected, unplanned events with no way to fully anticipate where and when they will occur. The initial actions taken immediately following an incident are often the most critical in terms of reducing or addressing the severity of an injury or even preventing death.
If the first person that responds to a situation has basic first aid training it can improve the odds of a best scenario outcome. It’s why ensuring that every employee has basic first aid training and is able to respond to any injury, accident or emergency that occurs. It is why first aid is the foundation of an effective health and safety management program (HSMP).
Although workplace safety regulations and standards for first aid vary by province or territory and depend on several factors, such as the size of the company and the industry, every jurisdiction in Canada requires workplaces to provide a first aid kit, a first aid attendant and first aid training.
Sadly, not all organizations are in compliance with the law, especially small and medium sized businesses where safety programs for new hires seem to be lacking. According to a recent CBC radio broadcast discussing an Angus Reed survey, as much as 20% of all Canadian employers do not offer the safety and orientation training required by law, and more than 50% of businesses with less than 29 employees offer no orientation, onboarding, safety, emergency, hazard or illness and injury protocol training at all.
And COVID has not helped the situation. Due to the lockdown and upheaval of the economic landscape, the need for first aid refresher courses for returning employees and first aid training for new hires is greater than ever. With a lack of workplace safety training comes a higher risk of workplace incidents and with an increased number of workplace incidents comes a greater demand for first aid.
At BCL, we appreciate the value of first aid training and understand the necessity of a well working Health and Safety Management Program for every organization. For more than a decade, BCL has partnered with St. John Ambulance, and is pleased to offer our clients first aid training for their employees.
If you would like more information on first aid training or how to implement an effective Health and Safety Management Program, you can use our live chat feature during business hours, email us at [email protected] or at [email protected], contact us directly at 1-844-377-9545 or you can always connect with us on our Facebook page, through our Twitter account, on our LinkedIn profile.
