First Aider in the Workplace,

[TeeDee]

Who here volunteers to be a First Aider in their Workplace ? and if not why not? ( without judgement )


I've done a few First Aid Courses , a Rescue Diver course in the past and even a Far From Help course with WMT ( but if I'm honest I could very much do with a refresher ) but at my last place of work I decided to NOT be a First Aider mainly because I saw how badly ( in my opinion ) the First Aiders were supported and provisioned and the workplace was a constant opportunity of unflagged / unaddressed accidents waiting to happen - if just seemed to be fire-fighting.

So who here is a workplace First Aider and who has opted to not be and why? Just interested.

 

[Mesquite]

I used to be one, I also trained with the Red Cross to be a FA instructor for about 10 years.

Now that I've changed jobs FA duties are provided by the building facilities team as a majority of staff are out and about so cover couldn't be guaranteed.

 

[Redhand Jack]

I'm one of 2 first aiders in our workplace currently (total of 14 staff, most part-time) but we should have 2 more qualified by the end of the year. Training is a 2 day course to begin with then a 1 day refresher every other year (iirc) - once qualified your shown where the first aid kit and accident book is and that's about it....
I tell all new starters not to have any accidents as I'm more likely to just drag them outside and leave them to it as try to save their life as I hate all the paperwork that goes with it - luckily that seems to have worked so far

 

[Countryman]

Tee Dee, what’s not to like about being the First Aider? Do the company make some allowance to you for performing this function or at least pick up the cost of requalification?

Frankly, given your skills, what is expected of you in an emergency it so hum drum that it’s not really a consideration.


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[TeeDee]

Tee Dee, what’s not to like about being the First Aider? Do the company make some allowance to you for performing this function or at least pick up the cost of requalification?

Frankly, given your skills, what is expected of you in an emergency it so hum drum that it’s not really a consideration.


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Hi CM , long time no chat.

I know what you're saying , I do.

I just seem, in this day and age , to want to be less responsible for others.. which sounds a bit of a crappy thing to say because it probably is ) - maybe I'm just a little tainted from my previous work place experience.


( I probably just need a strong word with myself. )

 

[Countryman]

Hi CM , long time no chat.

I know what you're saying , I do.

I just seem, in this day and age , to want to be less responsible for others.. which sounds a bit of a crappy thing to say because it probably is ) - maybe I'm just a little tainted from my previous work place experience.


( I probably just need a strong word with myself. )

Yeah hi mate, good to “see” you

Is this really reflecting on you and how you feel about responsibility or is it more to do with how you feel about your employer/ workmates?

Thing is (we have shared some of the same training) I would struggle to be a bystander in an event. Might as well be expected of me.


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[TeeDee]

Yeah hi mate, good to “see” you

Is this really reflecting on you and how you feel about responsibility or is it more to do with how you feel about your employer/ workmates?

Thing is (we have shared some of the same training) I would struggle to be a bystander in an event. Might as well be expected of me.


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"Thing is (we have shared some of the same training) I would struggle to be a bystander in an event. Might as well be expected of me."

Yep -me too- hence the question.

I'm not quite sure about the 'why' - I've had a few imposed Life changes of late ( not all good ) - New workplace is great! No complaints.

Dunno , maybe just having an off moment.

 

[Countryman]

"Thing is (we have shared some of the same training) I would struggle to be a bystander in an event. Might as well be expected of me."

Yep -me too- hence the question.

I'm not quite sure about the 'why' - I've had a few imposed Life changes of late ( not all good ) - New workplace is great! No complaints.

Dunno , maybe just having an off moment.

Maybe so. Have confidence bud. In an emergency I’m sure your new colleagues would be grateful of your skills.

Having retrained with Richard Cook a few years ago at the moot I eventually found myself in a situation where I saved a life. Everybody was so grateful I was that guy.


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[TeeDee]

Maybe so. Have confidence bud. In an emergency I’m sure your new colleagues would be grateful of your skills.

Having retrained with Richard Cook a few years ago at the moot I eventually found myself in a situation where I saved a life. Everybody was so grateful I was that guy.


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I know I would react in public - when out of work etc - Its just a mental block going on at the moment.

 

[Countryman]

I know I would react in public - when out of work etc - Its just a mental block going on at the moment.

Someone drops, you will be on it.


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[Stew]

I used to be one but the number of daft issues that had to be dealt with just put me off. I actively refuse to be one now but I know enough that in an actual emergency, I’m stepping forward (and have)

 

[fenix]

Yes I am and also a coordinator for emergency response, and I run the BA rescue team. We handle some quiet nasty materials at work including phosgene and chlorine so we have a BA rescue team, we go in to check and extract casualties plus make safe. First aid wise the main stuff I have dealt with has actually been on the way to work, had an motorcyclist that had been hit. At work have had to lead another person into a room that could contain fatal levels of toxic gas. ALso going to become a mental health first aider.

 

[UKAndyB]

I'm also a first aider in the workplace (also as a scout leader). Originally signed up to be one when my wife was pregnant with our son in case there was something I would learn I didn't already know. Which was lots!
Also a Mental Health fist aider in work which gets more use than being a physical first aider. I is more of a 'signpost' type thing helping with pointing others in directions of support and information.
Both roles I consider a privilege to be. We do not get anything 'extra' for undertaking the role which a lot of people think we are daft for doing. But when I tell them I do it for THEM they actually appreciate it.

 

[stevec]

I used to be a first aider at work, did the standard 3 day course, did another 3 day course when my original ticket expired. Also did a day course on CPR/fibrillator stuff.
I have it up in then end as work started to get increasingly demanding about my responsibilities you must do this immediately do that immediately etc without seeming to actually be bothered that I was doing this for free. I don't contractually have to do first aid, some do, but the only thanks I got for 6 years was a working lunch doing paperwork training and a curling sandwich.
It left a bad taste in my mouth both figuratively and in reality. So I didn't retest. I'm glad I did because I found it quite stressful when I was on a call

 

[TeeDee]

I used to be a first aider at work, did the standard 3 day course, did another 3 day course when my original ticket expired. Also did a day course on CPR/fibrillator stuff.
I have it up in then end as work started to get increasingly demanding about my responsibilities you must do this immediately do that immediately etc without seeming to actually be bothered that I was doing this for free. I don't contractually have to do first aid, some do, but the only thanks I got for 6 years was a working lunch doing paperwork training and a curling sandwich.
It left a bad taste in my mouth both figuratively and in reality. So I didn't retest. I'm glad I did because I found it quite stressful when I was on a call

I've succumbed at my place of work - more to an inherent guilty sense of civic duty rather than relishing the prospect but there you go.

I can completely understand your experience - I don't think any first aiders are looking for a large amount of recognition but it wouldn't hurt a company to take their First Aiders for an inclusive free dinner once a year to just say 'Thank You' would it.

 

[Paul_B]

At our place its a case of if it's serious call ambulance, if not get them to A&E by car just to check over. Anything less than that they give them a plaster. The first aiders basically say the course instructor spends most of the course saying what they can't do and a little of what they can.

Then it's paperwork in the accident book. The guy who looks at that basically says every incident is a near miss and not worth looking into. It's only when the injury puts the worker out for a few months that they do anything. And then only because HSE got involved. However the site gets nothing more than cuts and splinters mostly. All equipment is well guarded with interlocks and light bars. The only big risk is dodgy forklift drivers.

No I would not volunteer at work because of all this. However if my workplace was better and I liked my job more I'd want to be put on a course. I figure the small amount of extra work to get a good level of first aid knowhow that's kept up to date and useful out of work is a small amount to pay. Free training and updates? That's a good thing IMHO.

 

[fenix]

At our place its a case of if it's serious call ambulance, if not get them to A&E by car just to check over. Anything less than that they give them a plaster. The first aiders basically say the course instructor spends most of the course saying what they can't do and a little of what they can.

What do you think happens when somebody has heart failure? 4 of our first aiders spent 25 minutes doing CPR before the ambulance turned up, and it worked the women recovered. After that they purchased a defib and increased the number of first aid trained staff to about 20. I've used my training more outside of work than in.

 

[Paul_B]

So far that's never happened but cuts and minor injuries happen and they basically do very little. It's lipservice to having first aid. Right now there's two first aiders and their both lapsed. Last time there was a night shift put on both FA went on it so daytime had no cover.

I doubt they'd get any volunteers now even if they asked for some.