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Posted By Geoff Burt
I have been asked at a H&S Committee meeting about the practical aspects of a company providing a defibrillator (provision requested by a staff rep who is trained in its use).
Has anyone any experience of this, what are the advantages/disadvantages, is there recommendations anywhere on whether one should be supplied. Is there any guidance available?
The company manufactures furniture, has an 8 minute response time from the nearest hospital and the workforce is a normal spread of ages.
Thanks
Geoff
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Posted By Laurie
Geoff
I have no experience of this, but I was litening to a news item this morning recommending that they be put in shops etc. It appears that if one is used within three minutes there is a high percentage of survival. Your local health board may help
Laurie
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Posted By Zyggy Turek
Geoff,
I work for a large Local Authority & some 18 months ago several of our Councillors suggested that we should support a Govt. initiative in providing a defib. in public buildings.
For a defib. to work it must be delivered rapidly, as every minute of delay reduces a persons chances of survival by 10%.
The benefit of having one is obvious...it could save a life, but there are some practical problems.
All users should be qualified First-aiders, trained in using a defib. & retrained regularly (depending on who you talk to, this ranges from every 90 days to every 6 months).
Our Insurers also stipulated the above conditions with the added proviso that it should be kept secure from any unauthorised persons.
The cost of a defib. is in the range of £2-3k,& we discussed it with our local ambulance service for advice on types, etc.
Can I suggest also that you contact your local British Heart Foundation office as grants are (or were) available for the costs of defibs.in certain circumstances.
If I can be of any further help, then please feel free to e-mail me direct.
Zyggy.
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Posted By Brian Dawson
I think there was a discussion about this on the forum some time ago. Suggest you check archives.
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Posted By Nicky
I am a a community First Responder, we are activated by the ambulance service in cases where the ambulance may take more than 8 mins, and we are let loose with defibs. The ones we use are totally idiot proof and I cannot stress enough how good they are. (Even the most cynical teacher had to shut up when he saw it).
However, in case they are not suitable, plenty of basic life support training is needed. What district are you in?, Cumbria ambulance service provides our training, though we have to provide the equipment. (we have been given two defibs.)
I've done risk assessments of course, so if you need further info' contact me.
Nicky
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Posted By Geoff Burt
Thanks for the responses and Brien for suggesting the archive - I should have thought of that!
I've also looked around on the internet and I can see a number of practical advantages and disadvantages to report back.
It doesn't seem to be common practice with other companies - indeed the provision of defibrillators appears to be quite rare even in large organisations.
Is there a good reason why a small to medium company (less than 200 employees) would want to provide this facility - bearing in mind the cost, ongoing training and maintenance, and possible legal liability?
At least I can now spell defriblater!
Geoff
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Posted By Nicky
Am I right in thinking Tesco's have them?
If the company wants to provide it then why not, forget the legal probs, they really are idiot proof- in America still no cases of legal action! You cannot shock unless the heart is in fibrillation. It tells you to apply the pads and when to continue with CPR etc.
For less than 200 employees is unusual but why not,(a firm I work for lost someone at work and maybe with a defib.....)
The only maintenance is a battery every so many years, and replacement pads if they are used. circa £70 & £30 respectively.
Nicky
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Posted By Geoff Burt
Thanks Nicky
I don't think they do - I was looking for a good reason for a small company to supply one to enable me to put both two sides to them!
I personally can't see them being provided by many companies unless they have a large public customer base or lots of cash - it is an expense, I would guess, that smaller companies can do without.
Geoff
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Posted By fred tubb
Geoff
I work for an extremly large uk named oil company. We work on an onshore oilfeild and refinery (24 Hour working). The response time to the refinery is 20 minutes and yet legislasion does not require a defibilator, as part of a first aiders tool. i personaly at a location at least 40 minutes response time and although i am first aid trained (and quialified EMT at my own expense) still no defibulator provided.
The bottom line is Industry frightened of litigation.
regards
fred
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Posted By Peter Osborne
As a local authority we have provided Defibs in our Council Offices, Leisure Centres and on our beaches.
To date they have been used only once but the facts are that early use of a defib can save a life.
The fact that your nearest medical facility is only 8 minutes away doesn't mean that they can deal with your patient. Indeed even if you take them there you are still probably outside the maximum survival time for the patient.
In Devon the first blue light vehicle to arrive may often be a fire pump which is equiped with a defib and tasked at the request of the ambulance service because of the problems encountered in certain areas.
We considered that the intial cost and on-going training requirements (every 6 months) was well worth it if it saved even one life.
As already pointed out the machines are fool-proof and also rely on the skills of a qualified first aider if fibrillation is not identified in the casualty.
As regards the number of employees - you only have to look at the incidence of heart disease and associated ages to appreciate that any one of your employees could need the machine.
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