It is necessary to be prepared for health emergencies at all times. Medical emergencies in the workplace are widespread and are more hazardous than those at home or on outings.
What is a Health Or Medical Emergency?
Unforeseen circumstances due to unknown illnesses, accidents, injuries, breathing issues, and more can be classified as health emergencies. There are usually several workplace issues that could lead to a range of medical and health crises. According to the law, a few office employees must be certified in providing first aid and relief. To ensure that all employees have a chance at getting first aid training, it is best to sign them up with www.glasgowfirstaidcourses.co.uk and ensure that there are qualified and able first aiders at the workplace.
Injuries at work usually occur in low-risk or high-risk areas. Low-risk workplaces could be offices, showrooms, retail outlets, brick and mortar establishments, and so on. However, high-risk workplaces could be construction sites, large project sites, engineering sites, and so on.
Some types of health emergencies that first aiders could face out of the blue are: Heart attacks, seizures, choking, constant bleeding, allergic reactions, cuts and bruises, burns, and falls.
Medical emergencies at work usually arise from unsafe working conditions with equipment that is easy to trip over or wires that are left dangling. Medical conditions and health emergencies related to cardiac arrests, seizures, breathing issues, and so on are unforeseen and cannot be controlled or predicted.
How To Be Prepared For A Health Emergency At The Workplace?
No one can ever be fully prepared for health or medical emergencies. All we can do is ensure that emergency protocols are in place and that everyone at work is aware of them. Anticipating different scenarios and the injuries, accidents, or illnesses arising from the circumstances could help with some medical prep.
Employers in the UK have to ensure the health and safety of all workers at the workplace. This includes first aid training, teaching employees what to do in emergency situations, and how to handle calamities. Designated employees at the workplace need to undertake health first aid training and develop skills that will help them manage emergency medical and health conditions. Things like performing CPR, ensuring burns, cuts and bruises are treated, staunching blood flow, and more are all part of emergency medical and health first aid.
Let us look at what to do in initial response scenarios:
- Immediate Care: First Aiders at the workplace should immediately provide appropriate first aid to the affected person/ people.
- Emergency Call: The emergency number for the UK NHS is 999. Help will arrive as soon as possible once all the mandatory details are given.
- Quick Check: Check the ill or injured person, help them with the emergency, and ensure everything is ready for the first responders at the scene.
What To Do For Health Emergencies At Home?
Most physicians, family doctors, and first aid training courses offer similar tips and guidance for home health emergencies. Calling 999 and ensuring the NHS is in the loop is the first thing you should do (in case of a medical emergency). If you do not get adequate help and assistance, the affected person’s condition could become life-threatening.
Let us look at some tips and steps for health emergencies at home.
- Keep a first aid kit ready at home – fresh band-aids, antiseptic wash, cotton pads, bandages, sprays, sanitiser, gauze, medical tape, and a pair of sterilised scissors.
- Take classes in first aid, CPR, and emergencies like choking, breathing, and more.
- Store emergency numbers at easily accessible locations like the back of the main door, the kitchen fridge, and so on. It is also helpful to ensure emergency numbers are pre-programmed into all mobile phone devices of family members.
- Write an ’emergency contact number’ on a paper and place it inside the phone cover (behind the mobile) so that the first responder can call your emergency medical contact if you are not at home.
- Store family medical history and data in a readily accessible place like a cloud drive, an email, or a large box file clearly marked ‘Medical Emergencies’. It is also prudent to ensure your family members and loved ones know where this data is stored.
- Keep a master list of medications and treatments taken by all family members in your house.
- Store pre-filled medical consent forms to authorise a family member to make medical decisions in your absence.
- Have an honest talk with all family members about everyone’s wishes in case of life-threatening medical conditions.
- Understand how to recognise warning signs of critical illnesses.
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