NEGOSENTRO.COM | A company’s greatest assets are its employees, which is why every employer should sponsor CPR and first-aid training for its staff. This investment shows good intentions on the part of businesses to meet their legal and ethical obligations toward their employees to provide a safe workplace environment. The federal government has also taken steps to ensure that employees are free from workplace dangers. The primary law that has been passed to cover employee safety is the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act of 1970. This law requires businesses to provide a First-aid Course and CPR training to employees, as well as stock first-aid kits and designate personnel to assist in medical emergencies on site. To minimize employee absence or legal action due to an employee injury suffered on site, employers should ensure that each worker is well-trained in CPR and first-aid.
Creates a More Positive and Safe Work Environment
Employees face all types of on the job hazards, so providing a safe work environment is an essential characteristic of a healthy workplace. By sponsoring first-aid and CPR training classes, business owners can show their workforce that they care about creating a safe workplace. Including first-aid and CPR instruction during staff training also shows the company’s willingness to invest in its employees. When employees feel valued, they want their companies to succeed and morale is generally high. The goal of every business should be to create a safe and positive work environment. First-aid and CPR training will ensure employees’ health and safety, as well as add substantial value to the workers and the company.
Faster Employee Response Time During a Medical Emergency
While most companies sponsor OSHA training seminars for their employees, many of these same businesses neglect to incorporate first-aid and CPR drills in these training sessions. This oversight leaves the American workforce grossly unprepared to respond to medical emergencies in a timely manner or to manage on-the-job medical crises until emergency services arrive. A quick medical response during a workplace accident can lessen the chance of an injured worker losing his or her life. When employees are trained in first-aid and CPR techniques, they understand what needs to be done during a medical emergency. These employees possess the confidence and critical skills needed to effectively deal with an emergency without fear.
Transferable Skills
Employees who reside or work in remote areas do not have immediate access to medical clinics or hospitals, so they must rely on basic life-saving techniques during medical emergencies. Trained employees learn more than CPR and first-aid techniques; they understand how to use basic medical equipment, properly bandage cuts, and resuscitate someone who has lost consciousness. Workers who receive first-aid and CPR training are useful because their knowledge can help save the lives of community or family members in addition to their coworkers’ lives.
Satisfies Legal and Moral Obligations to Employees
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, thousands of people are injured in workplace accidents every year. From a legal standpoint, federal laws require that every business provide an adequate degree of first-aid care on site. These requirements include placing a well-stocked first aid kit in an unobstructed and common area, supplying information and resources to employees about first-aid provisions, and designating one or two individuals as onsite “first-responders” in case an employee suffers a serious injury. Employers whose businesses operate large machinery or process hazardous materials often sponsor additional basic emergency training in case of a more serious accident. These businesses rank among the highest for injuries and fatalities, so they make it a priority to stay up-to-date on the latest methods to reduce workplace accidents. Minimizing hazardous risks and reducing injuries to workers is a benefit to everyone from an ethical and legal standpoint.
Conclusion
Employers who overlook providing first-aid and CPR training for their employees inadvertently create more problems for their businesses. Not only does training guarantee that workplace medical emergencies will be handled effectively, but it also meets federal guidelines. Training employees can mean the difference between life and death, but it also shows that employees’ contributions and lives are valued above company profits.
