Workplace injury is not as uncommon as you may think. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were roughly 2.9 million workplace injuries and health ailments in the private sector alone last year. While none of these reported cases resulted in any fatalities, such incidents can strike a blow to workforce morale, not to mention inhibit the growth of your business by increasing costs and zapping productivity. Here are five reasons why you should provide your employees with first-aid training.
Accidents Happen
Workplace accidents and resulting injuries happen frequently enough that a business should have countermeasures against them. As a business owner or director of HR, you must acknowledge the fact that the future is uncertain, and it’s always better to be on the side of preparation. Having first-aid training can turn your employees into proficient first responders when a coworker gets hurt. Receiving immediate care and attention in the event of an injury reduces the physical damages and improves recovery time for your employees.
Get Peace of Mind
In an emergency situation, employees often do not have the technical training and expertise to tend to a coworker in distress. During these high-stress situations, people get overwhelmed with panic, fear, and anxiety, which might stem from their lack of training. By providing your workforce with the opportunity to participate in regular first-aid and emergency response training exercises, you equip them not just with the physical skills, but also with the confidence and peace of mind that they can quickly and competently provide emergency care when needed.
Expedite Your Response Time
Does your business have an on-site first-aid kit? What about a wall-stored defibrillator? Institutions with these will reduce response time in an emergency situation—perhaps the most important factor when gauging the effectiveness of first aid. Having and using resources, like a first-aid kit and manual are smart and practical for workplace safety, but reading through a manual is oftentimes not an option during an emergency situation. With first-aid training, employees can quickly use the tools they have to provide immediate, temporary relief for the injured coworker.
Strengthen Staff Relationship
Courses in first-aid training aren’t just designed to spit out generic care and treatment knowledge that you can easily search for online. Many of the beginner courses and even the online ACLS renewal programs are designed for large staffs and can help boost morale and teambuilding. First-aid training and basic life support training, which are conducted by a certified professional who brings the dummy or mannequin on which to practice, are interactive and can encourage employees to help each other learn the fundamental skills for administering first aid.
Lower Costs
Compared to the costs of footing your employees’ medical bills if they are injured due to an unsafe and/or and poorly maintained work environment, the costs of first-aid training are significantly lower. In addition to medical bills, companies could also be held legally accountable in the event of an employee injury or fatality in the workplace. In order to minimize costs, a lot of businesses, especially large corporations and multilevel offices, will choose or ask for volunteers so one or two employees will be trained. However, if you consider the financial impact that injuries have in a workplace, companywide training may be a more economical option.
Final Thoughts
Learning first aid can help companies and their respective staff respond to emergency situations in a more calm, collected, and effective manner. Training how to respond to a coworker who has accidentally fallen and broken a bone or who is unresponsive not only gives you and your employees confidence and peace of mind when coming in for work every day, but it also improves the recovery time and minimizes the financial impact of such incidents to your business.
Craig Middleton has worked in small businesses and entrepreneurship for most of his professional career. He is passionate about real estate, travel, and cheering on the Giants. When he isn’t writing or working at his many businesses, he’s spending time with his wife and three children.