According to the Occupational Safety & Health Administration, about 100,000 cardiac arrests occur in the U.S each year at places of work. Workplaces can be a dangerous place to have a cardiac arrest as research has shown that only a few workers have the know-how of offering first aid. Actually, only 1 person in 2 can locate an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) at a workplace.
AEDs should be a part of every workplace’s first-aid program. Check out these 8 key benefits of having an AED in the workplace — you could save a life.
What Is an AED?
An AED is a portable electronic device that discharges an electric charge to the heart when used on a patient with a cardiac arrest. When used well, they send electric shocks through the chest to the heart using what are called defibrillator. These shocks can help the heart stabilize and control irregular heart pulses.
They are increasingly being used in any workplace as part of the First Aid mechanism to save lives. They are kept in strategic positions just like you can find other First Aid kits and equipment. They are easy to use enabling any staff member to locate and use them in emergency situations.
8 Crucial Benefits of Having an AED in the Workplace
When you have automated external defibrillators in the workplace, it shields you against deaths that can occur if help is not given in time. Here, we list some of the benefits of an AED in the workplace.
1. Cardiac Arrests Can Happen Anytime
Heart diseases are less predictable and can strike at any time and place. The main benefit of having an AED at your workplace is that you can use the device to prolong the life of a victim before an emergency team arrives. Given the unpredictability of a cardiac arrest, this ensures that the staff or anyone has protection whenever such occurs.
2. Most Incidences of the Cardiac Arrest Happen Outside of Hospitals
Each year, more than 350,000 cases of cardiac arrests occur in other places other than hospitals. This is commonly referred to as Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest (OHCA). This includes places like home, public places and most significantly, in the workplaces.
Unfortunately, less than half of all cases get any lifesaving help from bystanders, office colleagues or family. With this happening, any office set-up should be prepared to deal with such emergencies. Having an AED device in your office coupled with basic training can help you save the life of your worker.
3. The Work Environment Can Cause Heart Strain
A workplace can be a difficult environment for many people. It involves a lot of intensive activities either of the body or mind. Sometimes, if a worker is not coping with the demands of his employer, they may find themselves with both mental and heart complications.
Studies conducted in workplaces have shown that work-related stress can increase the chances of heart diseases by about 23%. Research has also shown that depression and heart diseases can be related. A work environment is then an ideal place to have an AED device.
4. You Don’t Need to Be a Paramedic to Use It
The good thing with the AED device is that it’s made for a layperson, not a medic. All you need is to open it, read simple instructions and administer to a person in need. This way, your staff, and other workers can learn how to use this device easily.
This arms anyone at your office or any other workplace with skills to save a life in the event of a cardiac arrest. Prior training is important. This is because, in an emergency setting, you might not be very keen on the instructions if you are seeing them for the very first time.
5. It’s Protected Under Good Samaritan Laws
In some incidences, if a person administers a machine in the line of saving a life, and uses it wrongly, they can get a lawsuit through the duty to rescue the law. However, there are the Good Samaritan Laws that protect anyone who can use the AED device in saving a life. These two laws seem to contradict but when looked deeply it can work for those who give reasonable help.
6. Easy to Install
AED cabinets can be installed anywhere in the office space or workplace. You can only make a decision whether to put it on a shelf that is clearly marked or mount it on the wall. There are no extra skills needed to mount an AED cabinet so long you ensure it’s in an accessible place.
7. AEDs Are Pricey, but Life Is More Valuable
A good AED device costs around $1,500 and depending on the brand and make, this can go higher. In an office set-up or any corporate environment, this is a worthy investment to make. While this price can be a little bit higher for small businesses and homes, there is no justifiable cost reason for not having it. The life and contribution of your workers mean more than the cost of this device.
8. Event Memory
Some AEDs for businesses are equipped with a memory to record vital data that anyone would need during an emergency. With this kind of data, the AED gives a step by step guide as you apply it to save a person under a cardiac arrest. Some of the data can also be passed on to the ER team to know what kind of care a patient had received before they arrived.
AED Is a Must-Have at Your Workplace
We have seen the importance of having an AED in the workplace ranging from saving lives to ease of use. This makes it one of the first health investments any workplace should have. Given the fact that most cardiac arrest cases come un-announced and they can be fatal if not attended to in time, then there is a need to invest in the devices.
You can read more about various health issues and how as a workplace manager can make life easier for your workers. You can also find other life-related issues to broaden your understanding of business, technology, and health.
