When it comes to the weather hitting sub-zero levels, we know one person for sure who will be celebrating! Who, you ask? Three time Winter Olympian and defibshop Brand Ambassador, Zoe Gillings Brier, of course.
Just recently, Zoe qualified through to the World Cup finals in Salt Lake City, Utah. Prior to her leaving for the snowy slopes, we were lucky enough to catch up with her! Zoe shared her views about snowboarding, how being prepared for anything – including sudden cardiac arrest – and having health and safety precautions in place help towards achieving the gold medal performance.
Hi Zoe! Your workplace is a little different than your average office! How do you ensure a safe environment wherever you train?
Snowboarding is one of the most risky sports that you can compete in and every slope is different. With that knowledge, whenever I do or plan anything with regards to one of my runs, I try and make it as safe as possible for me and my team.
I always ensure I have my helmet, my back protector and my mouth guard to protect me as you never know what’s going to happen when you hit the slopes. When I’m out there, training and competing, I always make sure I have my First Aid kit- my trusty defibrillator included, of course - and trained people around me.
Not many people know that Sudden Cardiac Arrest can affect anyone, Olympian or not, so I choose to surround myself with my team who all know how to act, if the worst should happen.
First Aid trained staff is something we’re passionate about encouraging in workplaces around the world – is there always someone close by who’s trained in first aid when you’re on the slopes?
I’m proud to say I have a First Aid qualification, as do my coaches and the team performance manager. I have the imperative Training courses to thank for that, as well as the paediatric First Aid courses I took part in, prior to having Léa.
With snowboarding being a particularly hazardous sport, we take it upon ourselves to protect one another in case anything happens to either an athlete or even a coach. By all of us knowing how to act to various medical emergencies, we’re creating a safer environment when training and competing.
Sprains and strains are some of the most common injuries inflicted in the workplace; do you have any advice on what best action to take following an injury whilst you’re working?
Being an athlete, the best advice I can give is to simply put your feet up and rest your injury. Don’t try to be a hero and power through as you can make the injury 10 times worse than it initially was.
Icing sprains and strains is the best way to help the injury, followed by a tight bandage and elevating the injured area. Always ask for help with this, if you need it.
If you’re unsure about how bad your injury is then there’s no harm in going to see your doctor; that’s what they’re there for.
And finally, how important do you think it is that employers invest in the safety of employees whether that be in first aid training, essential manual handling training or even regular risk assessments?
Personally, I think it’s very important. Employees have the right to a safe and secure working environment, whether that environment is an office building or the Alps.
If an employee gets injured then their work is hindered and sometimes even halted if they’re incapable of continuing. Training benefits everyone, right from the CEO all the way down to someone in the mail room (if you have one). Staff members are provided with a better understanding of how to carry out their job which would only increase productivity.
The best example I can give with this would be my coach telling me to correct something in training, I might not like what I hear from them, but I know they have my best interests and performance at heart, so I know if I listen to their training, I’ll be a better snowboarder; it’d be exactly the same for someone on a manual handling qualification or First Aid qualification.
So there you have it, straight from the Olympian herself. Currently, Zoe still has the finals of the World Cup ahead of her, as well as a handful of other competitions which will all lead up to the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang.
Why not leave Zoe a good luck message in the comments section below and tell her whether you’re workplace has invested in your safety? Alternatively, drop us a line on Twitter @defibshop to join in the conversation.