What you know could save lives. Statistics indicate that around 75% of heart attacks occur at home or in the workplace. This is the simplest answer for explaining the importance of CPR training in the workplace. The leading cause of death among adults over 40 years in the United States is sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). The chances of survival dramatically increase when people around know how to perform CPR and use an automated external defibrillator (AED).
What happens during a Cardiac Arrest vs. Heart Attack?
Many people think a cardiac arrest and a heart attack are one and the same. However, the two heart malfunctions are actually very different.
- A heart attack is a circulation problem that occurs when blood flow to the heart is blocked.
- A cardiac arrest is an electrical problem that occurs when the heart starts beating chaotically and cannot properly pump blood through the chambers of the heart.
CPR can aid in restarting the heart in both the case of a cardiac arrest or a heart attack. Time is of the essence. Once the heart stops beating, blood flow stops. The person will lose consciousness within 15 seconds as the brain is deprived of oxygen. After another 30-60 seconds the person stops breathing and if the person is not resuscitated within a couple minutes they risk suffering irreversible brain damage.
According to the American Heart Association, survival rates for out-of-hospital cardiac arrest events are only 12 percent without bystander CPR. If bystander CPR is performed then the survival rate jumps to almost 50 percent. Being trained in CPR and knowing how to use an AED is an easy and cost effective way to save lives.
The difference between knowing CPR and not knowing CPR could mean the death of a loved one or close friend. Having CPR and AED training gives you the confidence to act in an emergency and save a life.
How common is heart disease?
Frighteningly so, about 610,000 people in the US die from heart disease every year. To give you a better idea of how many lives are lost to cardiac arrest every year in the United States – more people die from SCA than those who die from firearms, diabetes, motor vehicle accidents, house fires, suicide, prostate cancer, and breast cancer COMBINED!
Providing CPR training does not cost much and it goes a long way towards ensuring workplace safety and health. Having a properly trained workforce goes a long way in reducing costs as the quicker the CPR/AED is applied to the victim the exponentially better chances they have of making a complete recovery, free of lingering and costly healthcare related issues.
Practical benefits
Having employees trained in CPR has many practical benefits, including:
- Improved safety as employees are more aware and accidents are reduced
- Improved morale and wellbeing as employees are confident that they or their coworkers know exactly what to do and how to use equipment like an AED
- Applying this knowledge outside of the workplace, at home for instance
Inquire with your company if they can make CPR training a requirement in the workplace. The cost is small to implement and the cost savings in the long run are significant.
