How would you stand legally if someone suffered a heart attack on your premises and you didn’t have the necessary kit available to give them emergency treatment?

Although there’s no law that says you have to have an automated external defibrillator (AED) ready for such occasions, failure to do so could leave you open to a common lawsuit.

The Resuscitation Council (UK) reports that some American airlines have already been successfully sued for not carrying the equipment.

High-risk sites such as airports, rail stations, gyms, leisure centres and so on should certainly have AEDs available along with the personnel properly trained to use them.

But even if you think it unlikely that anyone will have a cardiac arrest on your premises, why take the risk?

Our industry-leading AEDs will ensure you are fully covered should the worst happen.

They’re quick, easy and safe to use even by non-trained people. They detect the electrical activity in the heart and give automated step-by-step instructions to the rescuer.

In a situation where prompt action is essential, they could just make the difference between life and death for anyone suffering a heart attack on your premises.

For every minute that passes, the chances of surviving a cardiac arrest reduce by 14 per cent. Research shows that applying a controlled shock within five minutes of collapse provides the best possible outcome.

This is one reason why we’re providing more defibrillators to organisations in the North of Scotland than to virtually any other part of the UK. Average response times for the emergency services in Scotland’s rural areas, and even in parts of Aberdeen, are often around eight minutes.

Our North of Scotland account manager Scott Andrews, commented: “It’s very gratifying that so many companies and public bodies north of the border are showing commendable responsibility to the health and welfare of people working on or visiting their premises.

“Hopefully they’ll never have to use one of the defibrillators they have bought from us, but it’s good to know that one is available should it be required.”

How quickly do you think a paramedic could get to your premises? If it’s more than five minutes, an AED should certainly be made available.

It’s a small price to pay for saving a life.

Find out more about our AEDs by visiting the MediRite website at www.medirite.co.uk, call us on 0845 199 9991 or email support@medirite.co.uk

British businesses are being urged to maintain their defences against swine flu even though the mass vaccination programme has now started.

They may not be able to prevent a second wave of the virus sweeping across the country this autumn and winter, but they can certainly help to slow its progress by actively encouraging people to continue good hygiene practices such as as keeping their distance from others; washing their hands regularly and using anti-bacterial hand gel when necessary; coughing into the crook of their arm or a clean tissue; and binning tissues after one use.

David Kirtley, national sales manager of MediRite, Posturite’s specialist occupational health and first aid division, said: “With the vaccination programme now being rolled out, there could be a temptation for businesses to drop their guard. That would be a mistake. We all need to remain vigilant in order to try to lessen the impact that the anticipated second wave of the virus will have on the country this autumn and winter.

“We are here to help businesses manage their organisation’s defences against the virus. People can find out more by visiting our website or, if they would like to discuss any bespoke arrangements for infection control, they should contact their local Account Manager or call Alastair Sawyer on 07825 528171.”

David’s advice comes in the wake of a recent report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) and the Business Continuity Institute (BCI) that shows that fewer than half of Britain’s employers have proper contingency plans in place to deal with the consequences of a second wave of swine flu.

Ben Willmott, senior public policy adviser at the CIPD said: “There is a real danger of senior management teams ignoring the threat to their business posed by a second and more serious wave of swine flu after seeing the first wave subside much more quickly than anticipated.

“The media and public hysteria sparked by the initial stage of the pandemic has created a ‘cry wolf’ effect where the temptation for business leaders is to ask what all the fuss was about and get on with the priority of competing and surviving in recession.

“Evidence shows that still only a minority of employers have an adequate contingency plan in place to deal with a flu pandemic, which is extremely worrying considering that staff absence levels could peak for some businesses at levels which will make business as usual extremely difficult. The CIPD and the BCI believe all businesses should plan for a worst case scenario where staff absence rates reach 50%.”

“Success in managing through the flu pandemic will be dependent on the rigour of the planning that has gone on before the outbreak. A pre-pandemic plan will help minimise losses, but it’s not enough to just focus on the impact of large-scale absence on the business itself. Supply-chain and customer issues also need to be considered to keep businesses afloat if there is new surge of swine flu cases.”

In a jointly-published guide, Risk and Business Continuity Management, the CIPD and BCI warn businesses to take the following steps:

• Prioritise essential activities
• Provide cross training of staff in critical areas so employees have the skills to fill in for absent colleagues
• Consider remote working to prevent spread of infection
• Consider reducing human contact for those with key skills
• Consider increasing customer self-service options such as telephone and online transactions
• Keep on top of government advice and adapt plans to reflect changes
• Communicate plans with staff, customers and suppliers
• Follow public health agency advice on efficient ways to contain the virus
• Provide a safe workplace by implementing rules on health reporting, office and personal hygiene, protective equipment, social distancing and working hours

The views of the CIPD and BCI are backed up by research carried out by international law firm Eversheds which found that, despite more than two-thirds (72%) of UK businesses having now been affected by swine flu, 41% still don't have a contingency plan in place to deal with a second wave.

However, the survey revealed widespread concern over the potential future implications of employee absenteeism, with 38% of businesses believing they will lose revenue and one in five (21%) indicating they expect to have to close or part close premises.

Martin Warren, head of employment law at Eversheds, said: "All organisations should have a contingency plan in place which addresses the risk of swine flu and tackles business continuity issues should the virus take hold. At a tactical level, this may include the redeployment of staff, hiring additional agency labour, increasing stand-by cover for key operational roles and the temporary shutdown of infected workplaces."

You may have seen our recent e-mails about Swine flu, and the advice and recommendations that have been distributed from trusted sources such as the World Health Organisation (WHO), The Home Office, The BBC and the NHS amongst others.

We are also aware that as a company, we don't want to be seen as exploiting the situation in any way. The fact is our business IS Occupational Health and Safety, and we like to consider ourselves to be a trusted source of information, advice and support to our clients throughout the UK.

Last week, the WHO announced the move from Level 5 to Level 6 on the scale of pandemic alert, in response to the spread of Influenza A (H1N1). Level 6 indicated that the global pandemic of the flu virus is underway, which means that the infection is spreading in communities in two or more regions of the world. It does not mean that the flu infection has become more severe.

Most cases of A H1N1 influenza infection are mild and sufferers have recovered quickly. The World Health Organisation has confirmed nearly 28,000 cases and 141 deaths worldwide. More than 800 cases have been reported in the UK alone.

An A H1N1 influenza pandemic is expected to affect this country especially during the autumn/winter, during the usual influenza season. One virologist predicted that this could affect more that 50% of the population.

In the meantime, people should remember 'Catch It, Bin It, Kill It', which is vital to protect yourself against all kinds of bugs and viruses, not just A H1N1 influenza.

( http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Pandemic-flu/Pages/Prevention.aspx?WT.srch=1 )

This post is just to say that we are here to help. We are here to offer support to you as you implement an effective strategy to you and your employees over the coming months. This may range from hand gels, to tissues, pandemic kits, through to vaccinations and Tamiflu. If there is anything that you feel that we can help with, then please get in touch.

For up to date news on this see: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8094655.stm or www.direct.gov.uk/swineflu

Wherever you’re going on holiday this year, don’t forget to take a travel first aid kit with you. It may not be the first thing you’ll think of packing, but it could be the one for which you’ll be most grateful.

MediRite has a range of ready-made kits available, depending on where you’re going, what you’re planning to do and whether you have children in your party.

They all contain the basic essentials to help you deal promptly and efficiently with everyday minor accidents and ailments, instead of having to spend valuable time looking for a chemist.

Last year we supplied some of our kits to a group of prison service guys who spent 22 days of their summer break walking 400 miles across Australia’s inhospitable Nullarbor Plain.

If they’re good enough for them, they should see you safely through your holiday.

How prepared are you to deal with burns, scalds or eye injuries in your workplace?

Sadly these sort of accidents are all too common. Around 112,000 people ended up needing hospital treatment last year after suffering burns of one sort or another.

Fortunately, though, most injuries of this type are fairly minor and can usually be treated on the spot by designated First Aiders.

So it’s vital to ensure that your First Aid store is always stocked with the special kits that can help prevent a small problem becoming a bigger one.

The MediRite Plus burns kit contains the essential dressings you’ll need to help relieve pain and prevent contamination while our MediRite Plus 3 eye wash kit has the sterile fluids and pads that allow eyes to be safely bathed.

Burns and eye injuries can both be potentially serious. So if in any doubt, always seek medical help.

For a wide range of medical supplies and first aid kits, see our MediRite website.

Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world. Every year more than 400,000 people die in the USA and 700,000 across Europe, from sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). A significant number die in the workplace, with co-workers and customers at risk from SCA. While cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is a vital component in the management of the SCA patient, the only definitive treatment is early defibrillation. For every minute that defibrillation is delayed survival falls by ten percent.

Conclusion: The placement of automated external defibrillators (AEDS) within the workplace can increase survival rates and save lives.

This is the abstract from a report by Steve Jelf, the International Clinical Director at Cardiac Science Corporation. To see the full report, including a detailed introduction to heart disease and AEDs, see here.

Dan Elms is one of hundreds of people who owe their lives to automatic external defibrillators (AEDs).

He suffered a heart attack at his local gym, and was unconscious for eight minutes. Only the timely intervention of a retained fireman, who had a defibrillator in his car, prevented Mr Elms from dying.

Hundreds of thousands of people take time off work each year due to influenza; the cost to business in lost productivity is enormous.

If there was a fire in your building, are you sure you have all the means of escape in place to enable people to get out safely?

What if a disabled person in a wheelchair was trapped upstairs? Would they be able to get back down if the lift was out of action and their chair was too big or heavy to carry?