By Laura Potter 16/05/2017

Under: Team Welfare / Incident Response

Why Your Business Should Invest in a Defibrillator

SCA does not discriminate: it can happen to anyone, even young athletes. Without immediate treatment, 90-95% of Sudden Cardiac Arrest victims will die. Investing in an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) for your workplace will give your team a drastically increased chance of survival.

What Happens During a SCA?

Sudden Cardiac Arrest is caused by an abrupt failure in the heart's ability to pump blood to the brain and around the body. Usually without warning, the victim rapidly loses their pulse, consciousness and ability to breathe.

After the emergency services have been called, a first responder should use Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) to manually pump the heart until a defibrillator arrives. This will help keep blood and oxygen flowing through the body.

An AED is a portable device which should be transported to the scene of the incident as soon as possible. An AED instructs the user through continued CPR and administers an electric shock to the heart through paddles placed on the victim’s chest. These shocks can restart the electrical system of the heart: it is the only way to significantly improve the victim’s chance of survival.

Why Should Your Business Invest?

Construction sites and heavy industry are dangerous environments with increased SCA risks including: heavy labour, electrocution and asphyxiation hazards, extreme weather and high stress. The increased risks mean that more protection should be offered to employees, including access to an AED. Defibrillation within three minutes of an SCA will increase the chance of survival from around 5-10% to over 70%.

Your employees are your biggest asset: caring for their health and wellbeing will not only save lives but will also boost morale, staff loyalty and productivity.

AED Training

It is crucial that staff receive training on: how to identify a SCA, the procedure to follow after an incident and the location of AEDs onsite. AED are designed so that anyone can pick them up and use them without formal training: they instruct the user through the process with easy-to-follow visual and verbal guides. Training on how to use AEDs themselves, therefore, is not a legal requirement, although it is still recommended to increase confidence.

The Devices

At Enfield Safety, we stock two leading AED designs, the 350 Defibrillator and the 500 Defibrillator. They are lightweight, easy to use and are designed especially for use in public areas for both adult and paediatric use.

The Heartsine Samaritan defibrillators also include a System Status Ready Indicator which flashes to show the system is operational and ready for use. The devices automatically run a self-check each week and can be safely stored in an accessible wall cabinet.

 

To talk to one of our experts about investing in an AED for your business call: 0333 003 5710.

 

Enfield Safety – no one works harder to bring you health, safety and welfare products at the right price, on time, every time.