Lakeland - Polk County Florida Site Development Company Takes CPR AED and First Aid Safety Seriously

The CPR School just completed CPR, AED and First Aid training for the employees of a large construction company specializing in site development. The company, located in Lakeland - Polk County Florida offered CPR AED and First Aid Safety to 19 of it´s managers, operators and laborers. During the class we discussed the many potential medical emergencies that could happen in the construction industry. Some of the emergency medical safety topics discussed include heart attack, stroke, electrocution, asphyxiation, drowning, choking, burns, bleeding, falls, and heat related medical emergencies. In addition to medical emergencies we also talked about bloodborne pathogens and the proper use of gloves and eye protection to protect against Hepatitis and HIV while helping an injured person.

Keith Murray, owner of The CPR School, LLC is also the lead instructor. Keith indicates that they try to customize their classes to fit the industry. For example, if they are teaching a class for construction workers they will spend more time talking about injuries from cuts, burns, falls as well as heat related emergencies versus when we offer training classes for an elementary school we would spend more time on pediatric emergencies such as choking, poisoning and allergic reactions.

1. What are the typical accidents you see on a Florida construction site?

Heart Attack, Stroke and Sudden Cardiac Arrest are several of the medical emergencies that people often forget about when talking about medical emergencies on a construction site. According to OSHA 13% of all workplace fatalities result from sudden cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest claims about 340,000 lives each year – or around 930 every day in the United States. Sudden cardiac arrest, which is the leading cause of death in the United States kills more people than breast cancer, lung cancer, and AIDS combined. Currently 95 percent of all cardiac arrest victims die.

Other accidents that are common on construction site include falls, sprains, strains, broken bones, bites and stings, electrocution, drowning, choking, burns, punctures, lacerations, bleeding, asphyxiation and heat related medical emergencies.

2. What is sudden cardiac arrest and can it happen at a construction site?

Sudden cardiac arrest is caused by a life-threatening abnormal heart rhythm that can result from heart attack, respiratory arrest, drowning, electrocution, choking, trauma or it can have no known cause and it can happen to anyone regardless of age or gender.

When we talk about electrocution this could be caused by lightning striking you or the equipment you are operating or it could be electrocution from a power line or motor. Any type of electricity entering your body could cause you to go into cardiac arrest.

In most instances to restart the heart you will need an AED or Automated External Defibrillator. Unlike the defibrillators with the paddles you see on TV, the AEDs that are in many public places such as airports, marinas, shopping malls, churches, health clubs, golf and tennis clubs and schools are safe to use. I am seeing a lot of construction companies placing AEDs with their first aid kits on many job sites.

3. What is an Automated External Defibrillator or AED?

An Automated External Defibrillator or AED is a portable, battery operated electronic device about the size of a laptop computer. The AED automatically diagnoses the potentially life threatening cardiac arrhythmias of ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia in a victim and is able to treat the patient by an electrical shock which stops the arrhythmia, allowing the heart to re-establish an effective rhythm. AEDs are designed to be simple so that anyone can use one. So simple that I often start my CPR AED classes by selecting someone from the class that has never seen an AED and I ask them to demonstrate how to use an AED by following the AEDs voice instructions. To date, the youngest person to effectively demonstrate the AED in one of my classes was 9 years old.

4. Should we have an AED on our construction site?

My answer is always "Yes". According to the American Heart Association, sudden cardiac arrest claims about 340,000 lives each year – or around 1,000 every day in the United States.

Simply put, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) save lives. Would you spend $2,000 if it saved an employees life? The answer is obviously yes. You have smoke detectors, fire extinguishers, security cameras and other systems to save property why not put something in place that saves lives.

Think about this, how many fire extinguishers does the construction company own? A fire extinguisher is designed to save property whereas an AED saves lives. All agree that life safety is much more important than saving property.

5. What does OSHA indicate about AEDs?

"Because the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) can save the lives of workers who experience cardiac arrest while on the job, OSHA today encouraged employers to consider making this equipment available in their workplace."

US Department of Labor, Office of Public Affairs, Dec. 17, 2001

6. Why invest in CPR AED and First Aid training?

Employee accidents and injuries can cost a business millions of dollars. Lack of training or improper training may cost your employees their lives. With proper CPR AED and First Aid Safety training our goal is to avoid accidents but if or when an accident occurs the employee will be properly trained to assist the injured person until emergency medical services arrive.

The preliminary count of fatal work injuries in the U.S. was 5,071 in 2008, down from a revised total of 5,657 in 2007, according to the Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) program.

October 30, 2009 - US Department of Labors OSHA issues record-breaking fines to BP.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) today announced it is issuing $87,430,000 in proposed penalties to BP Products North America Inc. for the company's failure to correct potential hazards faced by employees. The fine is the largest in OSHA's history. The prior largest total penalty, $21 million, was issued in 2005, also against BP. http://www.osha.gov

Other OSHA fines include

OSHA fines Florida sub-contractor nearly $230,000

OSHA fines Florida utility contractor $77,000 following double fatality at Sanford Florida job site.

Keith Murray is the owner of The CPR School, a mobile training company that provides CPR, AED First Aid Safety Training Certification Classes for construction and engineering companies, utility operators, businesses and schools throughout Florida. The CPR School also sells, services and provides consulting for AEDs - automated external defibrillators. Contact The CPR School at 561-762-0500 or Keith@TheCPRschool.com.