In many industries, companies overlook the most important health and safety measures, including defibrillators.
Companies in the utilities sector are responsible for the supply of gas, water, electricity, dealing with waste, recycling and operating wind farms. Within these hazardous environments, do defibrillators have a place in the industry?
Defibrillators and Utility Workplaces
All environments that supply a utility come with risks.
The repetitive and labour intensive nature poses a threat to the heart as it must meet the demands of the muscles in use. Continuous strain leads to a heart attack which further leads to cardiac arrest, requiring effective CPR and defibrillation as treatment. Without a readily available defibrillator, the victim’s chance of survival decreases 10% per minute.
Workplaces are often situated away from civilization for the safety of the population. These span across large areas of land and are only accessible by authorised personnel. These simple aspects make it extremely difficult for the Emergency Services to access cardiac emergencies. Investing in a defibrillator and delivering treatment within 3-5 minutes of the victim collapsing, increases their survival chance, from 6% to 74%.
From 2012/13 to 2016/17, the fatality rate in the waste and recycling sector was 15 times higher than the average rate across all other industries. The total number of fatalities comprising all the utility industry sectors is unknown. The industry accounts for 0.4% of British employees, making these statistics alarming, further highlighting the importance of having a readily available defibrillator.
Power Station Specific
A large part of the utilities sector is the supply of electricity through power stations dotted around the UK. Working on a power station is extremely hazardous. Continually working with high voltages puts employees at risk of electrocution leading to cardiac arrest.
The electric shock causes the heart to experience a fatal arrhythmia, Ventricular Fibrillation (VF) or Ventricular Tachycardia (VTach). When experiencing these abnormal heart rhythms, blood is not pumped effectively, depriving the vital organs. The shock from a defibrillator and effective CPR returns the heart to a regular rhythm.
Sector Essential
It is essential employers implement adequate safety procedures in all utility industry workplaces. Investing in a defibrillator demonstrates you’re taking your safety precautions seriously.
Explore our range of defibrillators and equip your workplace with the tools to save a life.
defibshop are committed to equipping everyone with the skills and knowledge to save a life. Speak to one of our Product Specialists on 0161 776 7422 or fill out our Contact Form.
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