Many industries often overlook the importance of health and safety precautions. This usually includes overlooking defibrillators. In fact, 52% of businesses have never considered purchasing a defibrillator.

A few reasons behind this include:

  • Some employers across different industries are unsure what defibrillators do
  • Many don’t feel informed enough about the devices to purchase one
  • There is the worry that using a defibrillator may cause more harm

Due to the nature and physical demands of working in the construction industry, employees can expect to work under intense working conditions with high-noise levels, surrounded by multiple risk factors. This puts construction workers at a higher risk of experiencing Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA).

The only way to successfully treat a Sudden Cardiac Arrest is with effective CPR and defibrillation within 3-5 minutes of collapse.

 

Equally Important as a Hard Hat and Hi-Vis Jacket

Sadly, no one is immune to sudden cardiac arrest. It can strike anyone at any time or place.

Professions in the construction industry are some of the most physically demanding jobs people can work in. Employees within the construction industry can expect at least 5 days’ worth of excessive labour, putting their bodies under physical strain. The greater strain affects all muscles including the heart.

It could be suggested that the superior strain on the muscles of the heart could lead to a cardiac arrest. Without a defibrillator and effective CPR, cardiac arrest results in death.

Construction sites usually span wide areas of land, some even surpassing 1000ft². Alongside this, all construction sites are cordoned off for pedestrian safety and are often built to be away from public access, making the site highly inaccessible for anyone other than authorised personnel.

Construction sites are often difficult to access. The average response time for an ambulance is 11 minutes and is increased by difficult to access areas, impacting the victim’s chance of survival.

For every minute that treatment is delayed and not delivered, the casualty can lose up to 10% of their chance of survival.

It is important to make sure workers are protected with multiple onsite defibrillators depending on the size of the site, to save precious time in the event of a cardiac arrest.

 

Construction Statistics

In the UK alone, there are approximately 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year, 80% of which occur at home, the remaining 20% occur in a public place.

Successful resuscitation is only achieved with effective CPR, performed on a ratio of 30 chest compressions to 2 rescue breaths and a shock from a defibrillator.

If this treatment is delivered within 3-5 minutes of the victim collapsing, their chances of survival increase from 6% to 74%. Without immediate treatment, 90% to 95% of cardiac arrest victims do not survive.

Approximately 10% of total employment in the UK fall under the construction umbrella, this equates to three million jobs. According to the HSE, the main causes of fatalities in the workplace are:

  • Falls from heights (48%)
  • Trapped by something collapsing (12%)
  • Struck by a moving object (11%)
  • Struck by a moving vehicle (9%)
  • Contact with moving electricity (6%)

During 2017-2018, the HSE reports that the construction industry saw 38 fatalities. Sudden cardiac arrest could have been a cause for any number of these deaths as electrocution often leads to SCA.

 

Construction Industry Essential

On a construction site, employees are expected to wear a hard hat to protect their head and to wear a hi-vis jacket to ensure they can be seen by all, but with the statistics and facts in mind, we prompt employers in the construction sector to consider the additional protection of a defibrillator to help protect the hearts of those on the site and around the area.

Employees are the greatest asset to a company, without them no construction project would have a chance of completion. Making defibrillators part of your health and safety precautions and ensuring it is accessible to all will demonstrate the company’s investment into the lives of their workforce.

Do you think defibrillators should be a mandatory piece of equipment on construction sites? Has your company already invested in a defibrillator?

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.  

 

Photo by Scott Blake on Unsplash