Following a revised syllabus of the Emergency First Aid and First Aid at Work courses having been issued by the HSE, it is now a requirement that all first aiders be trained in the use of an AED (Automated External Defibrillator) as of 31^st December 2016.

This meets the Resuscitation Council UK guidelines which now state that the management of any casualty requiring CPR is to request an AED. Studies have shown that survival rates from cardiac arrest doubled when an AED was used before emergency services arrive. For every minute that defibrillation is delayed, an individual’s survival rate can decrease by up to 10%.

AED units make defibrillation a much easier task, and with survival rates increasing drastically due to their use, their mandatory introduction to first aid courses is a welcome sight in the Health & Safety industry.

We have invested in a number of AED Training units that cover the required training of the safe use, correct placement of pads and following of the AED voice prompts. This will now be introduced during the practical training and assessment whilst performing CPR on a mannequin on every Kentec EFAW Course as of 1st January 2017.

For employers, these changes to the process does not mean they have to purchase an AED for their workplace. The requirement for an AED is still dependent on the employers’ assessment of their first aid needs. 

For further information on first aid and selecting the most appropriate course for your work environment, please click here.