Having employees trained in first aid in your company is a sensible idea, especially if you work in an industrial environment that has a higher risk of accidents. If you've decided that it is time to send someone off on a first aid training course, then you need to decide who can do this job. What's the best way to do this?
Ask For Volunteers
There's no point in telling people to take on first aid responsibilities. You need their buy-in for this kind of job.
Some people don't want this kind of responsibility. Others might not be suited to it. For example, if you have a first aider who doesn't like the sight of blood, then they won't be much help to someone who has an accident that leaves them bleeding.
It's better to tell your employees that you want someone to take on this job. Ask for volunteers. This way, you can choose from a pool of people who are willing to have the training and to use it when they need to.
Choose People Who Are On-Site
If one of your employees has an accident, then you want your first aider to be there to respond. It doesn't make sense to give this role to someone who isn't based in your office or who isn't on-site most of the time.
For example, giving this job to a member of your sales team who spends a lot of the day out of the office visiting clients may not be feasible. Chances are high that they won't be around when someone needs their help.
Look for employees who spend most of their working day in the building. This increases the chances that they can help when they have to.
Train Multiple People
While you might think that it's enough to have one person who knows first aid in your business, this sometimes causes problems. If the person is off sick or on holiday, then you won't have anyone with the right training on-site if someone has an accident.
It often makes more sense to train two or more people in basic first aid principles. This increases the chance that somebody will be available at any given time. You often get discounts on training costs for group bookings so this may make financial sense too.
It's also important to choose the right training for your business needs. To get advice on this, contact training companies that offer first aid courses.
Share8 October 2019
I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes ten years ago. Since my diagnosis, I have been committed to learning how to modify my lifestyle and adopt healthy practices, such as daily exercise and eating wholefoods, that help control my diabetes and improve my quality of life. I started this blog to connect with others living with this condition and to share what I've learned on my personal journey to better health. I also update the blog with the latest research and news relating to type 2 diabetes. If you have a specific question that's not been addressed in a blog post, feel free to send me an email.
