AED Machines Can Significantly Lower Death Rates at the Office
Have you ever considered how you would handle it if an employee of yours fell victim to a sudden fatal condition at work? Hypothetical situations like this are probably the farthest thing from a busy shop owner's agenda. Unfortunately, the frequency of medical emergencies in the workplace is high enough that it requires the attention of all business owners.
Nearly 1800 deaths from heart attack, electrocution, and asphyxia happened in 2001 and 2002, according to an OSHA report. The report also states that 60 percent of the previously mentioned deaths might have been prevented via access to an Automated External Defibrillator. Every minute that passes before defibrillation decreases one's chance of survival by 10%. Should a potentially-fatal medical situation arise, an AED unit within a few minutes' reach can save a life.
Is investing in an Automated External Defibrillator something that business owner's need to consider? Certain types of businesses should more seriously consider buying one. For example, those who are exposed to certain chemical or electrical hazards incur a higher risk for sudden cardiac arrest. Even if your industry doesn't incur these higher risks, it is important to note that over 300 people die at work each day in America. Add to that the fact that waiting for emergency medical personnel to arrive shrinks the likelihood of survival to 6%.
All of this should make it apparent that AEDs and Heartstart Defibrillators in particular, ought to be included in every company's first aid plan. A recent example of a manufacturer who uses the best EMT supplies is AEDLand. Consider the following story from the American Heart Association. A 41 year old air conditioning factory worker collapsed at work after suffering a cardiac arrest. The worker was revived in under 5 minutes due to the availability of an AED unit on the premises.
OSHA's website says employees can be trained to do CPR and to defibrillate with AEDs at very little cost. AED training is easily acquired and is highly recommended by the International Liason Committee on Resuscitation. Training has never been easier, due to something known as AED trainers. These trainers operate exactly like real AED units outside of a couple key differences. Primarily, AED trainers neither charge nor discharge electric. Another key variance is that they use widely available battery types which can be purchased at nearly any store. Adding AED training to your employee's traditional first aid training (e.g., CPR) can mean saving twice as many lives.
Sadly but truly, cardiac arrests happen 300 times each day in American workplaces. The staggeringly high occurrence of adverse cardiac events in the workplace and the relatively low cost of training one's employees makes AEDs a near necessity.
Find An Automated External Defibrillator Find A Battery Keep Your Eyes Peeled For A Defibrillator