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Gareth Chester  
#1 Posted : 21 February 2018 15:22:11(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Gareth Chester

I have worked on various construction sites for various companies and they all include the directions to the local hospital in the site packs. The company I work for include it as an appendix to the health and safety plan. 

I understand initially this seems like a must but I have been wondering if an A4 Map with directions to the hospital would be much use in an emergency. 

firstly, if it’s a major emergency I wouldn’t want the IP to be driven to the hospital by a member

of the site team, who I assume will be stressed and rushing.I would like an ambulance to be called.

Secondly if the need to drive to the hospital, most of, if not all sites will have someone with a sat-nav or smart phone that would be able to direct them.   

In short I would like to know why companies display a A4 maps with written directions to the hospital, is this a requirement or just a habit we have fell into ? 

Would the contact number and post code of the hospital suffice

RayRapp  
#2 Posted : 21 February 2018 15:39:25(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
RayRapp

I suspect it is more a habitual thing rather than anything else. The address of the nearest A&E hospital with a route is common place in construction documents and notice boards. Not everyone has a sat nav available, so it's not such a bad thing. A member of staff escorting an IP is normal practice except for the most minor of injuries. Of course, in an emergency an ambulance would be summoned. 

James Robinson  
#3 Posted : 21 February 2018 15:43:36(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
James Robinson

Your points are valid, and so is your question.

However, remember the map can work the other way round too. I have in the past struggled to get an ambulance to site, when the only reference you have is Plot 218 - no address or postcode allocated yet - or in the middle of nowhere. A map can help the emergency services (who also over rely on Sat-Navs now) when you can say I will have someone meet you at the gate to the field, 300metres after the right turn on to the B2398.... you get the idea.

James

thanks 1 user thanked James Robinson for this useful post.
Kate on 23/02/2018(UTC)
Gareth Chester  
#4 Posted : 21 February 2018 16:19:53(UTC)
Rank: New forum user
Gareth Chester

Thanks for the heads up I was trying to to justify dropping it form the appendix list but I think I’ll keep it in. 

I didn’t think about the emergency teams needing the info. 

Hsquared14  
#5 Posted : 22 February 2018 12:14:04(UTC)
Rank: Super forum user
Hsquared14

You might want to consider including the GPS co-ordinates in your information pack too.  Most satnavs and mobile phones these days include the ability to plan a route to a particular GPS location so having the GPS co-ordinates for your site and the hospital could be really useful.

fscott  
#6 Posted : 26 February 2018 13:49:21(UTC)
Rank: Forum user
fscott

Originally Posted by: Hsquared14 Go to Quoted Post

You might want to consider including the GPS co-ordinates in your information pack too.  Most satnavs and mobile phones these days include the ability to plan a route to a particular GPS location so having the GPS co-ordinates for your site and the hospital could be really useful.

I would 2nd this suggestion - once had an incident on site whereby ambulance rightly refused to attempt to extract casualty from site due to suspected spinal injuries and requested air ambulance support.  Air ambulance wasn't available so the local Navy Search and Rescue helicopter was utilised and they refused to take off without OS Coordinates for the site.

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