Workplace safety a must

If someone becomes unconscious and stops breathing at work, does everyone know what is expected of them? Not having a safety plan at work may be detrimental to a person’s life. First Aid training and preparing a proper emergency plan will assist in providing the best emergency care.

Some considerations for creating a Safety Plan for your workplace:

1. Know the Occupa­tional Health and Safety requirements for your organization by referring to the Saskatchewan Occu­pa­tional Health and Safety Act. Each work site has different requirements based on number of workers, distance from medical facilities, and if the working environment is isolated. A minimum requirement for all sites is a first aid kit, a first aid manual, a register, and emergency information. For help determining requirements, contact your local St. John Ambulance office.

2. Focus on incident prevention. Having plans in place to keep employees and customers safe at all times will help avoid situations where first aid is needed. Having people in your office trained in first aid will also lessen the severity of incidents that do happen.

3. Know how to take charge in an emergency situation. The quicker the fallen worker is treated, the stronger the chance of survival. Proper preparation for emergency situations will ensure that employees can organize themselves more effectively and know exactly what to do. St. John Ambulance offers safety coordination workshops to ensure employees know their roles in emergency situations.

4. Stock the office with proper first aid materials. Having an OHS first aid kit and an AED on-site allows for quicker response times for emergency situations. Making these materials accessible to all employees is also important so that they are available when they are needed and not locked away, lengthening the response time.

Knowing what to do in an emergency can make all the difference. For over 125 years, Canadians have trusted St. John Ambulance for quality first aid training and products. St. John Ambulance is a volunteer based non-profit charity dedicated to improving the health and safety of Canadians. St. John First Aid courses help support community projects throughout Saskat­chewan. See what St. John can do for you – call 1-888-273-0003, visit www.sja.ca or LIKE St. John at www.facebook.com/StJohnSask.