Benefits of automated external defibrillators AED in the workplace

Health and Safety is taken very seriously at Longworth. They invest time and money every year in the training and development of their employees in the latest Health and Safety guidance and updates to legislation. Towards the end of 2016, Longworth sent 10 of their employees on a 3 day First Aid training course. Towards the end of the course, the instructor demonstrated the benefits of having an Automated External Defibrillator in the work place. They were shown how straight forward they are to operate and the instructor removed any frightening thoughts of using an AED.

There is conflicting advice and debate on the necessity and effectiveness of Automated External Defibrillator’s in the workplace. An article on personneltoday.com provides robust arguments for both sides stating that employees should be properly trained in their use. The counter to that argument is that modern AED manufacturers state that they are so intrinsically safe to use that training is optional.

Statistical evidence from resuscitation councils in both the UK and the US shows that having access to an Automatic External Defibrillator in the first couple of minutes after cardiac arrest improves a patient’s chances of survival and decreases morbidity and mortality (Wood, 2007).

Longworth considered the effect that a cardiac incident would have on it’s employees and its business and decided that investing in an AED for it’s head office was a no-nonsense decision. Longworth has registered their AED with the ambulance service. This will allow the emergency services to direct someone who requires an AED to Longworth while they are waiting for the arrival of an ambulance.

Longworth’s Managing Director, Paul Smith had this to say, “We take the welfare of our employees very seriously and the purchase of an AED was a simple decision. We hope we never have to use it but it is reassuring to know that it is there and could potentially save a life.”