One Year On....

It's been just over a year (1st October 2009) since the Health & Safety Executive updated guidance for employer on First Aid requirements. Even now, I'm being asked lots of questions about these requirements. Therefore I've taken the time to write up the guidance and can provide you with a copy if you wish...just ask.

In brief, all Employers are LEGALLY required to carry out a First Aid Needs Assessment in line with the new Guidance. It indicates that the HSE has moved away from the old practice of basing first aid needs solely on head count. Employers that use this table without reading and acting upton the guidance fully may be misled, or worse still, assume that their assessment should be based primarily on head count.

The HSE now recommend annual refresher training....In addition Employers may have to decide how many first aiders they require but also which type of first aider is to be provided.

There is now a choice between First Aid at Work (FAW) qualification and a new, Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) qualification. And the type of course/qualification depends on the risks in your workplace. Your accident records should help you decide what is the most appropriate training to provide.

For more information go to www.optimum-training.com

First Aid Course in Manchester

On Tuesday and Wednesday 23rd & 24th November 2010, we'll be hosting a Paediatric First Aid at Work course in Manchester City Centre. The course covers all aspects of First Aid in both a commercial and Child Care setting. There are still some places available so please contact us if you wish to renew your certificate.
To book your place; call 0800 594 2134.

TV Medical Drama's Criticised in Results of New Research

During almost every First Aid course that I teach I hear someone say "I saw this on TV, so it must be true". Many really people believe that what they see on TV is real, even when what they see is on a soap opera! I've always responded by explaining that it's not real life and sometimes they (the tv producers/researchers) get it wrong. Now I have the evidence that proves it.

Researchers and authors of a study of the most popular medical TV dramas, Andrew Moeller and R. Mark Sadler, MD, from Dalhousie University, Nova Scotia, Canada will be presenting their findings at the American Academy of Neurology's 62nd Annual Meeting in Toronto, this April.

Andrew Moeller says, "Television dramas are a potentially powerful method of educating the public about first aid and seizures. Our results, showing that television shows inaccurately showed seizure management half the time, are a call to action.... the television industry to adhere to guidelines for first aid management of seizures."

The study centred around all episodes of the highest-rated US medical dramas: "Grey's Anatomy," "House, M.D.," and "Private Practice" and the last five seasons of "ER". Results show that in the 327 episodes, 59 seizures occurred. Fifty-one seizures took place in a hospital. Almost all first aid was carried out by "doctors" or "nurses".
The latest guidelines on seizure management were used to determine whether the seizure was handled appropriately.
The study highlights inappropriate practices in 25 cases, nearly 46 percent of the time. These bad practices include putting something in the person's mouth; holding the person down; trying to stop involuntary movements, occurred .
First aid management was shown appropriately in 17 seizures, or about 29 percent of the time. Appropriateness of first aid could not be determined in 15 incidents of seizures, or 25 percent.

So, overall, TV researchers need to focus on getting their information right.

So what should you do with someone who is having an epileptic seizure. Here's a quick guide:

1. Protect the casualty from danger, by removing any objects that might harm them. Protect their head by gently placing a cushion underneath it.
2. Do not restrain them in any way, simply allow the seizure to run its course.
3. When the seizure has stopped, carry out a full check of the Airway, Breathing and identify any other injuries.

Phone for medical aid only:

a. If, as a result of a fall, the casualty has sustained other injuries that require medical attention .
b. If the casualty has a second seizure (this is unusual)
c. If the casualty has never had a seizure before.

Never try to hold the casualty down, like you see on TV. And NEVER put anything in their mouth as they could choke on this.

Roadside Tragedy: Father Gives First Aid to His Own Son

When learning First Aid it is important to realize that the new skills you learn are most likely to be used on a member of your own family. Reported in the Daily Telegraph this week, it became a tragic reality for the Marshall family.

If you didn’t read the article, here is a brief summary: 53 year old Guy Marshall had stopped at a road side motorcycle crash only to discover the dying casualty was his own teenage son, Thomas.

Mr Marshall, an Optometrist, had no idea that his 18 year old, A-Level student son had been involved in the collision when he stopped to help.

"When I arrived people had stopped but no one was tending to him," he is reported as saying. "I jumped out of my car to see if I could help and then realized it was my son.

"I supposed I instantly switched into lay responder mode but then was still aware it was my boy. Not an hour goes by that I don't think of being on that road with him."

According to the report, Thomas had a pulse and was still moving when Mr Marshall arrived on scene but Thomas was pronounced dead when paramedics arrived at the scene.

Mr Marshall is a trained First Aider able to deal with emergencies and his mother, Wendy is a practice Nurse. They have two older children Alex (22) and Sophie (19). Our condolences go out to the whole family.

This story has me in no doubt just how important our First Aid skills really are.

Perhaps you have been on a First Aid course because your employer asked you to attend. Perhaps you’re not convinced it’s a skill you will ever get to use. Perhaps you thought it was something you had to learn “just in case” it is needed in your workplace. Whatever your thinking, learning first aid is vital for everyone. It is a skill that once learned will stay with you for life. It’s a skill that you will be able to apply anywhere and everywhere.

We often tell our course participants that the skills they learn during the course are skills they are more likely to use with their own family members.

Mr Marshall’s son had a much better chance of survival with his presence than he would ever have had without him – after all you only have to read what Mr Marshall said “no one was tending to him (Thomas)” to realize how important immediate action really is in such a situation.

Would you want to be one of those bystanders, unwilling or unable to do anything? I know I wouldn’t. If it’s time to renew your certification or update your skills, do yourself a favor and book on the course right now while it is still fresh in your mind.

Would You Know How to Treat Cardiac Arrest? USA promotes National CPR/AED Awareness Week - 1-7 June 09

As the USA gears up for National CPR/AED Awareness Week from today 1st June through to 7th June 2009... a week dedicated by the US Congress to raising awareness... it made me wonder just how many of us really know what to do when faced with a family member/friend/colleague who has a Cardiac Arrest in front of us?
A Cardiac Arrest occurs when the heart stops beating. More and more businesses, schools and shopping centres have Automated External Defibrillators (AED's) on site, as research clearly shows that the prompt application of Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR... that thing you do when you press on someone's chest and then breath into their mouth!) and an AED increase a person's chance of survival.

When a person goes into cardiac arrest, in most cases, the heart will fibrillate (this means it will shake; I describe it as "like a jelly, wobbling on a plate"). The only way to stop fibrillation of the heart is with a de-fibrillator (AED for short) An AED provides a carefully controlled, electrical impulse (shock) to the heart to get it to start working again. The prompt application of an AED with CPR can improve survival rates - that's why it is so vital that you, as a First Aider, call an ambulance as soon as you realise what is wrong with the person.

So let's work alongside our US cousins across the Big Pond, and update our knowledge on the treatment for someone in Cardiac Arrest. Ask your family members if they know...and if they don't know what to do, help educate them by explaining the importance of help and encouraging them to do a First Aid training course... your life might depend on it.

Until our next encounter... Keep happy, healthy and safe.

Enjoy Bonfire Night, without the risks!

It's that time of year again folks!

This is one of my favourite nights of the year - Full of fun and excitement, with a large bonfire to keep you warm and roasted chestnuts to keep you satisfied...and, of course, fireworks in amazing technicolour to keep you entertained. It should be a rewarding evening, full of cheer as it leads us into the Christmas period.

The only downside is... that this is the time of year when injuries increase.
With the majority of Bonfire Night related injuries happening at family or private parties (44.6%) I encourage people not only to take preventative measures but to learn a few basic first aid techniques with the publishing of our November 5th Essential First Aid Sheet.

Most people fail to act appropriately in burn cases - and are not aware of devastating effects of shock, resulting in severe implications for the casualty.

I've been quoted by the media as saying “If correct first aid is carried out immediately the short and long term effects of serious injuries can be greatly reduced,” and it is a fact.

In recent years nearly a third of injuries have been to the eyes. A burn to the eye is extremely serious and can have blinding results. Like most serious incidents, it is critical to treat the eye in an appropriate manner yet few people know how. The eye should be irrigated continuously until the arrival of further medical aid. Don't take any chances with the eyes, it has a lifelong impact.



For a free November 5th Essential First Aid Sheet contact OPTIMUM First Aid Training on 01244 342133 or email office.manager@optimum-training.com.

Wishing you a safe and happy Bonfire Night

Let Children Find Adventure in Playgrounds Not Construction Sites

With the summer holidays almost over it’s worth reminding the construction industry and parents to be alert and aware of the dangers faced by children playing on or near building sites in order to avoid having to put your First Aid skills into practice.

The nights are getting shorter but there is still lots of time after school for children to enjoy an evening of fun and adventure. However a construction site is not the place to seek such adventure as it too often ends in tragedy.

Understandably some children are drawn to construction sites as exciting places to play, but they are not playgrounds and playing on them can have fatal consequences. My own nephew had the experience of falling off a roof (one that he shouldn’t have been on!) when he was 13 years old. He broke his arm in numerous places from one fall. He has spent the past 5 years having operation after operation and has had his whole arm pinned back together (going through airport security is always a drama now, he tells me!) . At almost 19 years of age, he is still having hospital visits and operations… so it’s no fun after all!

Between 2001/02 and 2004/05, 3 children died and 235 were injured in construction areas*. In the majority of cases a few simple precautions would have prevented the incidents ever happening.

The following practical advice for parents and workers will help keep children safe:
Advice for Parents

Warn children against playing in dangerous areas, including building sites, especially if you live close to a site; Make sure you know where your children are going, and when they will be back; Encourage them to play only in safe areas such as playgrounds;

Advice for Construction Workers:
Never allow children to ride in construction plant machinery as this encourages the philosophy of “it’s a game/it’s play”. Lay heavy objects on the ground or fix them firmly upright so they cannot fall onto any unauthorised personnel and injure them; Look out for children playing around sites and take action if you see them;If you do see children on-site, immediate stop work and ensure they are escorted off site before you begin work again; Secure sites adequately when finishing work for the day, making sure all signs are in place and unobscured;

What to do if there is an injury on a constructon site
Immediately stop work.
For crushing objects, consider the length of time the person has been crushed and also any further injury that may occur by removing the object. As a rule of thumb, if it has pearced the skin or could be affecting vital organs, do not remove a crushing object.
Get help by calling the emergency services asap.

If it is a fall from a height, do not move the casualty, unless they can do so unaided. Treat any injuries as you find them.
Broken bones - keep still and prevent movement.
Major bleeding - apply direct pressure over the injury and then apply a dressing at the earliest possible time. Elevate limbs before commencing treatment.

As a First Aider, you should treat all your casualties for Shock. Anyone who has attended one of the OPTIMUM First Aid courses will know that Shock result in death. Give the casualty plenty of reassurance, using the "Let's Talk First Aid" technique and keep them warm. Make sure they are seen by medical aid.



* Health & Safety Executive

Burn Creams - To Use or Not To Use... That is the Question. Here is the Answer.

Last week “fake ads” supposedly advertising Bayer’s Burn Creams spread like wildfire across the internet. The ads depicting parents roasting their babies over fire, burning them with blowtorches or putting them on a stick like a marshmallow – I’m guessing the message is supposed to be that the first aid burn cream would protect them – has been rejected by the pharaceutical company Bayers as ads that would never have been approved.

Whether the adverts were real or fake, it made me think about the misconception the public may have regarding the use of burn creams. Burn creams should NOT be used as a First Aid treatment. In fact, they will only make the situation worse – think about it, have you ever put cream onto sunburn and felt like it is frying? If you have, you will know exactly how if feels… very PAINFUL. Burn creams are not FIRST aid, but do have their place for healing of burns. They are what I describe as FOURTH LINE Aid… in other words, they should only be used once the casualty has been seen by a doctor, when the worst is over and the burn has been cooled sufficiently. (First aid is First Line Aid, Ambulance is Second Line Aid, A&E is Third Line Aid and the Doctor is Fourth in line!) In cases where the casualty does not need to see a doctor then burn creams can be applied to help the skin recover. I suggest not less than 24 hours after cooling sufficiently.

The most important thing you can do is cool the burn. It’s even more important than gettiing help, because once the burn is being cooled then less damage will occur. Whilst cooling the burn, help can be called.