The new structure of workplace first aid training brought in on 1st October 2009 placed a greater emphasis on the employer assessing their own first aid needs. The new Emergency First Aid at Work and shortened First Aid at Work have given more options for those needing a "first aider"- but which is the course for you?
This somewhat confusing area has gradually become clearer and easier to establish, the simplest way for the employer is to use the new online tool provided by the Health and Safety Executive via their website here.
As we near the end of our 8th year changes are ahead: changes to the structure of first aid training; changes to our website but firstly a change to our telephone numbers.
Our new office number is 01268 775052 and fax 01268 775057.
The mobile phone is a staple part of our world and can be a life saver in emergencies, but a new system is using it to alert friends and relatives of the casualty.
If something unfortunate was to happen to you, could someone looking through your phone's address book work out who to phone? Should they call "wife/husband" "snugglebum" or maybe both! To remove confusion, and possible embrassment, put in your phonebook an ICE entry.
In Case of Emergency then the individual's number.
We have added more dates for our ever popular First Aid for Child Care Practitioners course. This 12 hour course focuses on Paediatric First Aid, meets OFSTED standards and is ideal for those working with children.
New dates are:
2 & 3 September- Rayleigh
5 & 12 September- Rayleigh
6 & 7 October- Rayleigh
7 & 14 October- Hadleigh
24 & 31 October- Colchester/Tendering
24 & 31 October- Harlow/Epping/Uttlesford
28 November & 5 December- Maldon/Chelmsford
25 & 26 January 2010- Rayleigh
Spaces are limited so contact the office on 0870 7409247 for full details and to reserve your space.
"A two-year-old girl has made an almost complete recovery after spending nearly 20 minutes at the bottom of a pool.
Scans showed Oluchi Nwaubani had been starved of oxygen for some 18 minutes - three times longer than the brain can usually survive - in Bromley, London.
Despite being warned that even if she were to live she may never walk or talk again, her parents say she can run around and say "what she wants". "
With the Health and Safety Executives [HSE] confirmation of the 1 October 2009 "switchover" in first aid training, employers and training providers are understandably seeking practical guidance on their requirements.
Fuller details are scheduled to be released in April, but we contacted the HSE direct and received a much needed insight into the plans.
Emphasis will rest on the employer's own assessment of their particular needs; this assessment should consider, numbers of staff, work being undertaken, past history of incidents, proximity of medical services etc.
If it is decided a First Aider is need then two courses will be on offer; the First Aid at Work and the Emergency First Aid at Work course. These are 18 & 6 hours respectively, both leading to a qualification valid for three years. It is recommended that the individuals attend a short [approx 3 hour] refresher session on an annual basis.
If it is decided a First Aider is not required then an appointed person must be nominated.
The attached file is a simple flowchart confirming this structure, this is unlikely to change. Further guidance should be issued by the HSE giving "benchmark" figures to assist workplaces in deciding on which courses, similar to the existing template reproduced here.
Another year, another go-karting race, but not another trophy for Kevin!
Being out on the road running our safety training courses can be a bit lonely- we get to meet lots of nice people, but its new people every week. So whenever we have a staff training day we try and do some bonding!
Having covered what's new in ERT and in the industry [the forthcoming changes in First Aid courses causing some excitement] it was off to our local go-karting track for the afternoon. Having been twice before, with Kevin carrying off the winner's trophy both times, it was time for a change. A different event, combined with a little cheating creative driving means it is with great pleasure I announce our current champion..... Paul.
Finally a competition, spot the sore loser in the photo above, answers on an email to the usual address.
With the summer holidays firmly behind us we're now looking towards Christmas! With this in mind new dates have been set for our First Aid For Child Care Practitioners course [formerly First Aid for Child Carers].
Working with the NCMA Essex we have set up the following courses, call our office on 0870 7402947 or info@ertuk.co.uk to book your space:
20 & 27 September @ Rayleigh
27 September & 4 October @ Colchester
11 & 18 October @ Benfleet
11 & 18 October @ Basildon
18 & 25 October @ Rayleigh
25 October & 1 November @ Epping
8 & 15 November @ Maldon
6 & 13 December @ Tendering
We are already planning [and taking bookings] for course till Easter 2009. Venues include: Brentwood; Harlow; Braintree & Rochford. Call the office on 0870 740 9247 for details.
Emergency Response Training is happy to announce a new series of our popular "First Aid for Child Carers" course.
Working with the NCMA Essex we are aiming to make this required course as accessible as possible for childminders in Essex. Therefore over the summer we are running courses at:
Harlow & Colchester: 26th July + 2nd August
Chelmsford, Braintree, Tendering & Benfleet: 9th + 16th August
Epping, Basildon, Maldon & Brentwood: 23rd + 30th August
Make sure you mention this blog or the order code AH54 to receive a discounted rate.
This course is aimed at anyone working with children and may help schools meet the new requirements for reception classes. Contact the office for more details.
We are delighted to announce that Southend Surestart have once again choosen Emergency Response Training to run its First Aid for Child Carers courses.
For the fifth year running we will be providing our 12 hour programme aimed at those working with children in various settings. More detail on the course can be found here, or contact our office on 0870 740 9247 to discuss your particular needs.
As reported here there have been various statements issued related to "hands only CPR". The American Heart Association have advocated a move to "hands only" CPR dropping the need for nouth to mouth, but the European Resuscitation Council believes there isn't sufficient evidence to warrant a change.
The UK Resuscitation Council have pinned their colours to the mast here, and also believe the evidence isn't compelling enough to require a change before the 2010 congress.
Therefore the current UK and European guidelines can be found here or you can watch a video here.
In first aid trainng CPR is the area of most change and probably most research. The Amercian Heart Association issued on 31st March 2008 new guidelines aimed at the layperson. Details can be found here, but essentially a bystander witnessing a sudden collapse in an adult is recommended to only perform chest compressions.
This has lead to the European Resuscitation council issuing its own statement not altering its existing advice, click here for a PDF version. So for us as a UK based training company, until told otherwise its still 30 compressions followed by 2 ventilations.
If a rescuer is unwilling or unable to perform ventilations "hands only" CPR would be better than no CPR.
Emergency Response Training was recently awarded " Best Health and Safety training" by Business and Commerce Today.
In winning the 2007 Health and Safety training award we are pleased at the recognition for our training methods and style. Emergency Response Training was also commended on its "responsible, ethical organisation".
The HSE has released further information on the future of workplace first aid training. Employer's will need to carry out an assessment of their first aid training needs and then select one of two courses.
The First Aid at Work (FAW) course will be 18 hours (3 days) long with a shorter Emergency First Aid at Work (EFAW) lasting 6 hours available. Both courses (if successfully completed) will lead to a qualification valid for three years, with a yearly update course (4 hour) required. In year 3 the FAW can be refreshed with a 12 hour course, the EFAW by re-attending the 6 hour course.
For the time being the HSE will continue to approve organisations to run FAW courses, this giving automatice approval for EFAW and refresher training. Other ogranisations such as the QCA or SQA may also develop approvals for EFAW training.
For the full details click here to visit the HSE website. A further update with for Scottish readers can be found here.
Emergency Response Training is proud to announce the official launch of its Tactical Care Officer course range. Having run bespoke training for Police Firearms staff we can now offer a "complete" training package.
Designed to reflect the current requirements for Police medics in this demanding role, the course focuses on the practical application of basic and advanced life saving skills.
For more detail contact the office on 0870 740 9247 and ask for Alistair or Nicky.
Much has been made in the media recently about people wasting time, especially at work on sights such as Youtube.
Well we are glad people do- our channel has recently broken the 61,000 viewers barrier. The great bit is that many of them have got in touch, some with strange requests or links, but some with genuine, positive feedback.
Training courses, medical emergencies, fires and mutlimedia broadcasting- its all in a days work of Barry.
Still at Lakeside for the darts, when an extra special referee was needed for an extra special match, it was obvious it would be Barry.
Scott Mills, the relatively popular DJ from BBC Radio 1, played a match against Bobby George on Thursday. It would seem Barry wasn't worked too hard to add up Scott's score!
Just a quick, and belated, congratulations to Claire who recently graduated from Greenwich University with her Certificate of Education. After two years of hard study, assessments and assignments, all on top of her day job, it is great to see Claire receive this official recognition of her teaching skills.
If you're been watching the darts on TV this week you may have heard a familiar voice. Barry is there scoring, the matches that is. To keep up with whats going on check here.
For a quick reminder of what Barry looks like try here, he's the one being put in the Recovery Position.
A toy that allows children aged 3-6 to exercise while playing on a computer is being tipped as a Christmas bestseller. Users pedal the stationary Smart Cycle while following routes on screen. Dr Colin Waine, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, based in Nottingham, said: “Obesity in children has reached epidemic proportions . . . doctors are worried that type2 diabetes, previously associated with adults, is rising in our children. It was only a matter of time before manufacturers wove calorie burning into toys.
Mice carrying a gene which appears to make them invulnerable to cancer may hold the key to safer and more effective treatments for humans. University of Kentucky researchers said " a human cancer treatment was possible".
1 1 October 2009 has been confirmed as the date for the switchover to the new structure of workplace ... 
