The government have put plenty of rules and regulations in place to ensure the safety of staff across the country, and different industries have different rules to make sure that people don’t get injured at work.
Workplace injuries are bad news for everyone – employees could end up in the hospital and employers end up with one less member of staff for however long it takes for the person to recover. Because of this, the 1981 Health and Safety act was put in place, providing different agencies power to enforce and establish preventative measures to keep employees and their bodies safe.
One body part that this act overlooks is the heart. Sudden cardiac arrests (SCAs) are a leading cause of death in the UK, with over 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occurring in the UK each year. The only way to treat this life-threatening issue is to use an automated external defibrillator (AED) to shock the heart back into it’s normal rhythm.
Despite this, businesses are not legally required to invest in this piece of equipment, leaving employees around the country unprotected.
Here are the body parts that have protective measures in place…
Head
Construction workers are at risk of head injury by objects falling from a great height. They are required to wear helmets to protect the head and brain from being seriously damaged by these heavy objects.
Stomach
Kitchen workers come into contact with raw meats which can cause food poisoning and make people sick. To avoid this happening they are provided with suitable hand-washing facilities and different coloured chopping boards to ensure no cross contamination occurs.
Hands
Whether your job involves lifting heavy objects or handling sharp materials, your fingers are at risk of being damaged, crushed, or severed. To avoid this outcome, staff are required to wear protective gloves that reduce damage.
Feet
Like the hands, a person’s feet can be damaged if they come into contact with sharp or heavy objects. The toes are more delicate than you might think, and blunt trauma will result in a breakage. For example, construction workers carry things like paving slabs which would damage the feet if dropped without cover from steel-toe-capped boots.
Eyes
From welders to cleaners, there are a number of job roles that put the employee at risk of eye damage. If your eyes come into contact with chemicals or small, sharp objects such as iron filings, it can cause irritation or loss of sight. Because of this, some employees are required to wear protective goggles.
Lungs
Whether you work in dusty environments or you handle toxic chemicals, you could be putting your lungs at risk by breathing in harmful substances, and so you might have to wear a dust mask or respirator that filters the air before it enters your body.
Skin
Like the eyes and lungs, the skin can become irritated if it comes into contact with harmful chemicals. If your job role involves the use of potentially dangerous substances, you will be given a uniform or full-body protective suit to prevent this from happening.
Why Not Protect the Heart?
The legislation that outlines the rules and regulations designed to keep employees safe was established over 30 years ago. Although many of the preventive measures that were put in place provide valid protection from potentially harmful situations, it neglects the heart from the prominent risk of sudden cardiac arrest.
Take a look at our range of defibrillators to keep your business safe.
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.
