IOSH is encouraging companies to be cardiac-aware and consider installing equipment that will improve the chance of survival of those who suffer a heart attack in the workplace.
This month is National Heart Month and, to mark it, the Institution commissioned a survey of 1000 business decision-makers in the UK, which found that more than half do not have a defibrillator.
The device, which restarts the heart using an electric shock, has been shown to have a significantly beneficial effect on cardiac-arrest survival rates.
According to IOSH, some 30,000 people in the UK each year have a cardiac arrest out of hospital, and NHS data shows just 18.5 per cent of them survive. American statistics also show 13 per cent of workplace fatalities result from cardiac arrest.
IOSH research and information services manager Jane White said: “We want businesses to take a good look at the number of employees they have, their demographics and the kind of sector they work in, to assess whether they should get a defibrillator on site.
“Using a defibrillator within the first few minutes after collapse gives the best chance of saving a life – it can increase survival rates by as much as 75 per cent. This just proves to businesses how important it is to have the equipment on site.”
Almost two thirds of the 513 respondents to IOSH’s survey who said they did not have a defibrillator on site were from medium to very large companies. Of the 327 respondents from small companies, 60.2 per cent, or 197, said they didn’t have a defibrillator.
Ms White said: “This is actually worrying news for us, especially where the larger companies are concerned. Devices cost around £1,000 – can big companies with healthy turnovers afford not to have one?
“If someone suffers a cardiac arrest at work and does not survive, it is devastating for their family, friends and workmates and it can also cause a great deal of stress for the person giving CPR.
“Companies also need to consider the impact of losing a member of staff on their fellow employees, factoring in the cost of down-time, counselling and any replacement or training of staff.
“The message here is not only an ethical one, it also has financial implications. Of course, a defibrillator is good health and safety practice because it saves lives, but it also makes sound business sense.”
Looking at the poll results by sector, education fared the worst, as 61 out of 86 respondents did not have a defibrillator at work. Two thirds of those in retail said they hadn’t got one, and less than half of the respondents from an office environment had a defibrillator.
But the picture improved with manufacturing and engineering industries, where 65 per cent had the device.
Ms White added: “We want smaller companies to look beyond sheer employee numbers when assessing the need for a defibrillator. They might be a school with hundreds of pupils, a care facility with at-risk patients, or a shop or venue with a larger number of visitors or customers – these circumstances might make a big difference to the survival chances of someone having a cardiac arrest on-site. And if they are worried about cost, there is a lot of help out there for those that think they have a need.”
Clive James, St John Ambulance training and development officer, said: “Prompt first aid and use of a defibrillator can be the difference between a life lost and life saved. Defibrillators detect if a casualty’s heart rhythm needs shocking, so they can’t shock anyone that doesn’t need it. But ultimately, a training course will give help give you the confidence to use one.
“It’s important to understand that a person who has had a cardiac arrest will die if they don’t receive emergency treatment, so prompt CPR and use of a defibrillator will give them that chance to survive.”
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We provide an insight on how to tackle burnout and why mental health is such a taboo subject, particularly in the workplace.
