First aid training is important as it gives you the skills and confidence to deal with minor accidents and illnesses at home. But that is not all. The training will give you the knowledge needed if you come across a more serious accident. When you achieve your first aid training certificate you will have more confidence in your abilities as a first aider CPR certification gets a lot more press attention but the two skills are complimentary. Everyone should be able to do cardiac resuscitation but we should also know how to help someone who has been burned, broken an arm or leg or sustained a nasty cut.

As part of your first aid training, you will be taught how to assess an emergency and decide on the best course of action. Obviously you would call 911 if the occasion warranted it but in addition to the EMS team you may also need the fire service. For example if a casualty was trapped in a car or there was danger of an explosion e.g. car accident with leaking petrol.

Every business should have a qualified first aider on staff

Accidents happen every day at work and therefore there should always be at least one qualified first aider on the employee roll. The number of first aiders required will depend on the number of employees as well as the type of business. The OSHA guidelines have more information on this subject if you need to check for your own business.

Where should you get your employees trained in first aid?

The American Red Cross has worked very closely with OSHA and developed a training program that meets most if not all of their requirements. This would be a good place to start. Depending on the number of employees you want trained, they may be prepared to come to your office and conduct some in house training. Alternatively your staff can attend training sessions at your local Red Cross Center.

If you have any questions about your obligations under the various Health and Safety laws, the staff at OSHA are only happy to help. They will come into your office and carry out a risk assessment if your business warrants it. The American Red Cross also supplies business suitable first aid kits. You should make sure the office kit is properly supplied and is checked and restocked on a regular basis. Sterile bandages are useless if their wrapping gets damaged and some items such as eye washes may have passed their sell by date.

To find out more about first aid training go visit the CPRCertificationGuide website. You will find lots of useful information on various training programs.