Friday, September 30, 2016

CPR Training To Your Workplace

Getting employees trained in giving CPR will ensure a safer workplace environment. Not only at offices, giving CPR training should be made mandatory even in gyms, schools, hospitality sectors and other establishments. Getting employees and others associated with an establishment or organization trained and skilled in giving first aid and CPR, is the first step employers should take for ensuring the safety and security of their employees and those associated with them.

Lack of awareness and training will cost a life, especially, when someone in your workplace gets a sudden cardiac arrest. If no one knows how to revive or at least buy sometime, till professionals arrive at the scene, then the person will surely succumb. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the US, amongst adults. The majority die before reaching the hospital because of lack of quick administration of CPR and related first aid techniques.

What is more important for you? Your business or the people behind the success of your business? Unless and until you don’t maintain a safe, secured and healthy workplace environment, you will not be able to grow your business. It is a fact, but a hard-hitting one.

Participating in CPR and first aid training programs in your workplace will help in the process of team building. To know how to respond to an emergency, like, sudden cardiac arrest at your workplace is important. Through these training programs, each and every member of a company or organization will become capable of making use of the skills during a medical crisis. It is important to know how to prepare for an emergency and how revive a victim of cardiac arrest.

If you’re considering introducing first aid and CPR training to your workplace, contact us on how to do so.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Thursday, September 29, 2016

Healthy People = Better Business!


Here are the facts: Healthier people work harder, are happier, help others and are more efficient. Unhealthy workers are generally sluggish, overtired and unhappy, as the work is a symptom of their way of life.

According to Corporate Wellness Magazine, every $1 invested in employee wellness programs yields roughly $4 in savings through reduced sick days, higher productivity and decreased overall health costs.

So how do you install a wellness program that‘s efficient, smart, scalable and goal-oriented?  We have a five-step process to create this type of culture change — and the steps are simple enough for you to start taking right away, too:

1. Determine the needs of employer AND employee.
2. Analyze the data and create a plan.
3. Create a communication plan.
4. Put an incentive plan in place.
5. Call First 2 Aid out to your place of business and let us help you begin this process.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Wednesday, September 28, 2016

The Importance of OSHA Compliance Is Critical

The importance of OSHA compliance is critical. OSHA has had significant effects on workplace safety. Although U.S. employment has almost doubled, workplace fatalities have gone down by more than 65 percent since OSHA’s inception.

Compliance with OSHA regulations along with implementing your own well-designed safety program can save your business money. Accidents and injuries occurring on the job can result in major medical and legal expenses. Training your employees and having a program in place can prevent these costly incidents from occurring. Maintaining a safe environment for your workers rewards you with increased productivity and higher morale as well.

OSHA applies recordkeeping standards to most employers with more than 10 employees during the former calendar year. These employers must keep records on employee illnesses, injuries and fatalities. Other employers may be required to keep the records if requested to do so by OSHA, state health and safety offices, or the Bureau of Labor Statistics. All incidents with fatalities or hospitalization of three or more staff must be reported. OSHA analyzes these records to identify workplace hazards and improve its programs.

Have First 2 Aid visit your workplace to ensure your business is in compliance. Call today!

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Tuesday, September 27, 2016

Introducing CPR/AED Training To Your Workplace

Life is characterized by precarious twists and turn, and risky conditions emerge all the time. All throughout the globe, people suffer from heart attacks, loss of consciousness, severe wounds and surface injuries, burns, strokes, and much more. Along with this, drowning incidences among children have a tendency to increase during the summer.

With this said, if you are equipped with first aid skills, you can delay the worsening of a condition, save lives, and even resuscitate an individual with CPR, if necessary. The time that elapses between you calling 911, and the paramedics arriving is sensitive and critical. The manner in which you respond during this critical stage can increase the likelihood of survival for an individual.

With first aid training, you can fortify the safety of your home and workplace. For example, if an accident were to occur, you would be able to attend to this matter right away. Not only can parents/employees be educated in first aid, but so can children.

First aid training can also be of tremendous help in your professional environment. For example, in the event that a medical emergency occurred in your work environment, and you lacked immediate access to a phone, first aid training would prove to be especially important.

If you’re considering introducing first aid and CPR training to your workplace, contact us on how to do so.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Monday, September 26, 2016

Ensure All Workers Wear the Proper Safety Equipment

Always Use Machines and Tools Properly
Anytime staff members are working with tools and equipment, it's vital they use them properly and never take shortcuts. Shortcuts are one of the primary causes of injuries on the jobsite. For instance, employees shouldn't use a scaffold as a ladder or one tool instead of another for a job. Using the right tools every time will reduce the overall likelihood of injuries. You can also host continuing education courses as reminders about the importance of safety.

Protect Your Back By Using the Correct Posture
Whether the work environment is an office or at an energy production plant, it's important employees protect their back and use correct posture. Using correct posture means picking things up with the correct form and avoiding twisting and stooping. If at all possible, the work area should be furnished with safety equipment and ergonomically designed furniture.

Report Dangerous Conditions to Management
Anytime hazards exist or there are unsafe working conditions, management should be alerted immediately. Although management is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment, it becomes infinitely more difficult to achieve this goal if they are unaware of the danger. Safety is everyone's responsibility, and non-management staff must report unsafe conditions to management for a solution.

Ensure All Workers Wear the Proper Safety Equipment
Failing to wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment for the job is one of the most common culprits for serious injuries and fatalities. The type of PPE should change based on the task and industry. For instance, someone working in the space and defense industry would require different PPE than someone in field services.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Friday, September 23, 2016

CPR Training Should Be Made Mandatory

Lack of awareness and training will cost a life, especially, when someone in your workplace gets a sudden cardiac arrest. If no one knows how to revive or at least buy sometime, till professionals arrive at the scene, then the person will surely succumb. Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the US, amongst adults. Majority, die before reaching the hospital because of lack of quick administration of CPR and related first aid techniques.

Getting employees trained in giving CPR will ensure a safer workplace environment. Not only at offices, giving CPR training should be made mandatory even in gyms, schools, hospitality sectors and other establishments. Getting employees and others associated with an establishment or organization trained and skilled in giving first aid and CPR, is the first step employers should take for ensuring the safety and security of their employees and those associated with them.

Workplace CPR training programs usually consist of skill practice, demonstration, exercises done on the basis of real scenarios, Q&As, class discussions, hands-on practical, which are supported by numerous materials, training equipment and more.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Facing Workplace Violence

Millions of workers face violence in the workplace every year, it is the 2nd leading cause of occupational injury.  Workplace Violence incidents can range from physical assaults to robbery or homicide.  And with 1 out of every 5 occupational fatalities occurring as a result of violence in the workplace, it is a big concern for OSHA, as well as employers and employees everywhere.

Under federal law, regulated by OSHA, employers have an obligation to provide a workplace free from recognized hazards.  Workplace violence certainly falls into this category, and the goal of this course is to provide awareness of violence in the workplace, recognizing the warning signs, taking action to mitigate dangerous situations, and developing skills for the prevention and response to violent situations at work. This course has been developed from the OSHA standard 29 CFR 1904.8.

Let First 2 Aid come out and train your place of employment on violence in the workplace and terrorism in the workplace.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Is Your Workplace Safe?

Whether you work at a business, manage it, or own it, you all have the same goal - you don't want anyone to get hurt on the job.

And there's something each of us can do to make sure we all go home as whole as when we started the day. One step at a time, we can make our workplaces better places to work.

10 Steps to a Safe and Healthy Workplace

-Understand how a safety and healthy workplace benefits workers, families, businesses, and the community.
-Know your responsibilities for keeping a safe and healthy workplace.
-Develop a system for organizing safety and health efforts.
-Know the laws and regulations for the work you do.
-Address specific workplace hazards and have regular saving meetings.
-Cultivate a safety culture with mutual respect and open communication
-Celebrate your accomplishments and defer OSHA inspections with events.
-Find out the best solutions to safety and health problems.
-Ask questions about workplace safety and health.
-Get help. Keeping a workplace safe and healthy is not something you can do alone. First 2 Aid is one of many sources of help, and it's a good one.

If you want to start a safety program or give a boost to an existing one, call First 2 Aid. Our professional safety and health consultants and trainers know your industry - and they know your time is valuable. An onsite audit will give you professional and practical assistance. Training teaches everyone how to work safely and avoid injuries.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Time Is Critical

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada, with nearly four out of five cases occurring outside a hospital. Bystanders –whether in a public gathering space such as an airport or shopping mall, or in a workplace– play an in important role in improving the chances of survival. In cardiac arrest, every minute counts. If you consider the time it takes for a medical responder to arrive versus a co-worker or bystander, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Even when 911 is called immediately, it can often take seven or eight minutes or longer for EMS to arrive at the location; that doesn't account for the time it takes to locate the victim once they arrive. After 10 minutes without emergency care, resuscitation is rarely successful.

Every minute of delay for defibrillator decreases the success of restarting the heart. Approximately 10 percent of people who experience an out-of-hospital cardiac arrest survive, with survival significantly increased if a bystander quickly retrieves and employs an AED. Time is critical. The earlier a shock is delivered, the greater the chance the neurological damage can be prevented. Having an AED program in place can reduce the response time to an SCA victim by 3-5 minutes.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Monday, September 19, 2016

Safety Audits

First 2 Aid has a team of consultants who visit worksites and conduct safety audits. But no matter where each team member is, chances are good that he or she will spot one or more common safety hazards.

It shouldn’t be a surprise that First 2 Aid frequently spot hazards associated with working at height. Bureau of Labor Statistics data shows that falls to a lower level accounted for 14 percent of all fatalities in 2014, and OSHA standards related to scaffolding and ladders are regularly among the most frequently cited violations.

Clutter blocking fire exits, aisles and emergency exits is a housekeeping problem that we see often.

Blocked breakers aren’t the only electrical hazard First 2 Aid consultants frequently see. Many electrical hazards spotted are related to inappropriate use of extension cords.

Proper lockout/tagout procedures can help prevent serious injuries, but only if those procedures are followed.

Chemicals can be expensive, and workers in some industries may never know when they’ll need to use a certain chemical again in the future. OSHA’s Hazard Communication Standard requires facilities to keep an inventory of all products. Mark down the chemical’s expiration date, and use the chemical by that date or dispose of it properly. This is more than just a safety issue, Harrington said – stockpiling a huge cache of unwanted chemicals can be illegal. It also can be very expensive to dispose of large quantities of expired chemicals.

Have First 2 Aid come out and check on your compliance with OSHA today!

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Friday, September 16, 2016

Employee Physicals

Annual physicals aren't just for those individuals who are already sick or who are at an elevated risk for becoming sick. Here are four reasons annual physicals are important - even if you're healthy.

1. They Can Help You Prevent Various Medical Conditions

Annual physicals aren't necessarily meant to treat health conditions you already have. Rather, they are designed to help you prevent various medical conditions from developing in the first place. When you have First 2 Aid visit your workplace for your annual physical, you will discuss your current health situation and habits. The doctor will then make any recommendations needed to make sure you maintain your excellent health.

2. They Allow Your Doctor to Catch Your Condition Early

If your body does begin to develop a certain disease, illness or condition, the sooner you find out about it, the better. This is because most conditions are easier to cure the sooner they are diagnosed. By getting a physical from First 2 Aid, you increase the chances that your developing conditions will be caught and treated quickly.

3. They Remind You to Make Your Health a Priority

For many people, their healthy lifestyle often becomes neglected as the pressures of real life get in the way. Thankfully, a yearly physical is a good reminder to change this. When you look at the calendar and see that you will be visiting your doctor soon, you are much more likely to make healthy choices that will give you a positive checkup.

4. They Can Save You Time and Money

Treating serious health conditions can be costly and time consuming. By seeking routine preventative care, you may be able to avoid these costly expenses altogether.

Maintaining excellent health doesn't just involve treating illnesses, diseases and conditions as you acquire them. It also means preventing these conditions from occurring in the first place. First 2 Aid can come out to your job for your annual physical. Call to set up your next appointment today!

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Thursday, September 15, 2016

Tips On Employee Wellness

Mind Renewal- every 90 to 120 minutes of work, get up from your desk and take a break from your work. this simple positive interruption, even just for a few minutes, will help you refocus and refuel your mind.

C Boost- The next time that you find yourself stressed out at work...relax with an orange. reason: research has shown that vitamin c can actually help to lower the production of stress hormones, which just may make your workday a little easier to handle.

Uncross for better posture- the act of crossing your legs, while sitting at your desk can lead to poor posture and lower back stress. aim to keep both feet flat on floor for a healthier spine. even better? use a motion char like swopper to engage your core, improve circulation and focus.

Protect Against Germs- did you know that when people sneeze, their germs may be spread up to 8 feet? what makes this scary is that even if you steer clear of direct contact with a person that has a cold...when this person sneezes-your clothes can catch and carry the germs and sooner or later, you too maybe feeling under the weather. So, be sure to wash all articles of clothes next time someone in your office sneezes.

Avoid Multitasking- studies have shown that switching back and forth between tasks can decrease your rate of productivity by up to 40%. you're more likely to make errors and introduce stress at a higher rate when multitasking.

Have First 2 Aid come out to your job site and explain how they can improve the over wellness of your job.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

CPR/AED Training

Sudden cardiac arrest is the leading cause of death in the United States and Canada, with nearly four out of five cases occurring outside a hospital. Bystanders–whether in a public gathering space such as an airport or shopping mall, or in a workplace–play an in important role in improving the chances of survival.

Even when 911 is called immediately, it can often take seven or eight minutes or longer for EMS to arrive at the location; that doesn't account for the time it takes to locate the victim once they arrive. After 10 minutes without emergency care, resuscitation is rarely successful.

Cardiac arrest is not the same as a heart attack, which occurs when the blood supply to part of the heart muscle is blocked. Cardiac arrest, which may be caused by a heart attack, occurs when the heart's normal rhythm is disrupted and cannot generate blood flow. Chest compressions administered through CPR can generate a small amount of blood flow to vital organs, but defibrillation by an automated external defibrillator is the only way to deliver the lifesaving shock to the heart, bringing it back into normal rhythm and restoring blood circulation.

Emergency dispatch services are trained to advise 911 callers how to immediately initiate CPR and implement an AED by phone. One challenge with saving victims of cardiac arrest is that there is often a lag before bystanders take action. If someone collapses and is nonresponsive, call 911 and start CPR right away. It's better to start CPR than wait until you're more sure, because that time matters.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Tuesday, September 13, 2016

Workplace Safety

Always Use Machines and Tools Properly
Anytime staff members are working with tools and equipment, it's vital they use them properly and never take shortcuts. Shortcuts are one of the primary causes of injuries on the jobsite. For instance, employees shouldn't use a scaffold as a ladder or one tool instead of another for a job. Using the right tools every time will reduce the overall likelihood of injuries. You can also host continuing education courses as reminders about the importance of safety.

Protect Your Back By Using the Correct Posture
Whether the work environment is an office or at an energy production plant, it's important employees protect their back and use correct posture. Using correct posture means picking things up with the correct form and avoiding twisting and stooping. If at all possible, the work area should be furnished with safety equipment and ergonomically designed furniture.

Report Dangerous Conditions to Management
Anytime hazards exist or there are unsafe working conditions, management should be alerted immediately. Although management is responsible for maintaining a safe work environment, it becomes infinitely more difficult to achieve this goal if they are unaware of the danger. Safety is everyone's responsibility, and non-management staff must report unsafe conditions to management for a solution.

Ensure All Workers Wear the Proper Safety Equipment
Failing to wear the right personal protective equipment (PPE) equipment for the job is one of the most common culprits for serious injuries and fatalities. The type of PPE should change based on the task and industry. For instance, someone working in the space and defense industry would require different PPE than someone in field services.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Monday, September 12, 2016

OSHA Compliance

Establishing a safe and healthful working environment requires every employer -- large and small -- and every worker to make safety and health a top priority. The entire work force -- from the CEO to the most recent hire -- must recognize that worker safety and health is central to the mission and key to the profitability of the American company.

First 2 Aid's job is to provide leadership and encouragement to workers and employers to take that responsibility seriously by helping understand OSHA's requirements. We continue to help employers and employees focus on reducing injuries, illnesses, and fatalities and to increase their commitment to improved safety and health.

First 2 Aid can help small businesses and others through a variety of tools, including partnership, consultation, compliance assistance, education and training, outreach, and plain language regulations that will meet OSHA requirements.

Safety is good business. An effective safety and health program can save $4 to $6 for every $1 invested. It's the right thing to do, and doing it right pays off in lower costs, increased productivity, and higher employee morale.

As an employer, you have a duty to protect your workers from injury and illness on the job. Protecting workers also makes good business sense. Accidents and injuries are more expensive than many realize. Costs mount up quickly. But substantial savings in workers' compensation and lost workdays are possible when injuries and illnesses decline. First 2 Aid can come out and train your employees by informing them of OSHA requirements with a 10-hour or 30-hour training.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Friday, September 9, 2016

Safety Committee At Your Workplace

Falls, lifting injuries, and fires are dangerous and common in the workplace, but that's just the beginning. There are many possible safety issues that can occur at your office or factory. Sometimes the best workplace safety arises out of simple good planning and smart thinking.

Every single workplace should have a safety committee and safety plan in place. If you don't have safety committees at your workplace, then propose one. If you work at home, you are the safety committee. Working at home or for a very small business isn't a reason to get out of safety planning.

If you don't have a safety plan in place yet, follow these steps when you recognize a workplace safety issue:

1. Make sure that everyone else in your workplace is aware of the problem.
2. Notify your supervisor.
3. File any reports or documents about the problem.
4. Follow up. Telling someone there's a problem is not a guarantee that the problem will be resolved satisfactorily. Report it and later follow up to make sure the problem was addressed.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Thursday, September 8, 2016

Violence In the Workplace

Workplace violence causes a significant number of deaths and injuries in Florida and throughout the country. Workplace violence can include physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior at the work site.

Some factors can increase the risk of workplace violence, including:
-Exchanging money with the public.
-Working with volatile or unstable people.
-Working alone or in isolated areas.
-Providing services and care.
-Working where alcohol is served.
-Working late at night or in areas with high crime rates.

In addition, some workers such as delivery drivers, healthcare professionals, public service workers, customer service agents, and law enforcement personnel, have a higher risk than others of experiencing workplace violence.

For some employers, there are specific rules regarding workplace violence prevention, including those in the healthcare industry or employers who operate late night retail establishments.

But all employers must develop an Accident Prevention Program, which includes evaluating hazards at work. When a hazard evaluation indicates employees are at risk for violence in the workplace, your Accident Prevention Program must include a plan that outlines measures to reduce this risk, such as training workers on de-escalation techniques, installing adequate lighting in parking lots, and providing drop safes.

Let us come out and present our 4 hour and an 8 hour terrorism in the workplace course. The 8 hour includes a four hour first aid course with Trauma Care for the Lay Rescuer.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Avoid Being Involved In Accidents

Every person can avoid being involved in accidents at work by following these simple tips.

1. Always be alert on the job – Being awake and alert all the time while at work will not only prevent accidents from happening at work.  It will also enhance the performance of the worker and can even earn him a promotion or a salary increase.  Most of the people who become involved with accidents at work are those who feel sleepy while working.

2. Wear the required uniform – A person who works in a factory has a greater chance of being involved in an accident at work.  Thus, he should be more vigilant about the wearing of proper uniforms and other protective garments when working.  Never take safety to chance so always go to work with the proper dress code.  If your work requires you to wear a hardhat helmet then wear it.

3. Listen and actively participate during emergency drills – Some work places conduct emergency drills to make sure their employees know what to do in cases of emergencies so as to avoid accidents.  Some employees take this as another boring drill so they just look around and take it for granted.  So when emergency time comes they are the ones who are left behind in the face of grave danger.

4. Always ask your supervisor about the possible risks of doing a certain task – There are workers who are exposed to danger just by doing their regular workloads. A worker should always check with his supervisor if he is unsure about the task at hand or if he feels that doing that task will expose him to great danger.

5. Never take a high-risk job for which you have not been trained for – It is stupid for anyone to take on a high-risk job especially if he has not been trained for the job.  Imagine an untrained person doing the job of a fireman?  Doing this will not only expose you to a great danger but will expose other people to danger as well.  

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

The General Steps Of Using An AED

Sudden cardiac arrest happens to over 250,000 people a year. Every 33 seconds in the United States, someone dies due to a heart-related incident. The survival rate can be as high as 60 percent in ideal circumstances, the most important of which is quick defibrillation. In order for the patient to have the best chance of survival during an outside of hospital cardiac arrest, someone must call for emergency medical assistance (911 in North America), perform CPR - which is an acronym for Cardio (heart), Pulmonary (lung) and Resuscitation (meaning to revive or revitalize) - and use an AED, before receiving pre-hospital advanced care.

Here are the general steps of using an AED but this does NOT mean you are certified. Contact us to come out to your place of employment to get you and your staff CPR and AED certified today!

1. Look around your immediate area for an AED (Automated External Defibrillator).
2. If you cannot locate an AED, proceed with CPR. You should instruct bystanders to call emergency services and search for an AED. Staff members in public places such as railway stations or airports will be able to provide instructions and alert any emergency response units or first aid teams that may be present to assist with CPR and Defibrillation.
3. Turn on the AED unit. Depending on the model of the AED you may have to pull a handle or push the on button.
4. Remove all clothing from the chest, abdomen, and arms (male or female)
5. Peel the pads off and place them exactly as instructed. Accuracy is more important than speed when placing pads.
6. Usually the AED will start to immediately analyze the patient's heart rhythm. If it does not, you might have to push the analyze button. Do not touch the patient during this or any other part of the defibrillation process.
7. If the AED has a shock advised prompt, push the button. When you shock, make sure no one is touching the patient. Also, the patient must not be touching metal and there must not be large amounts of water on the chest (sweat is okay). The patient must not be wearing a nitro patch. If the patient has a pacemaker, try not to place the pads directly on the unit.

The AED will shock up to 3 times. Usually one shock is needed. Newer AEDs following recent guidelines will shock only once on the highest energy setting, after which they should prompt you to immediately perform two minutes of CPR.

Some pulse-less heart rhythms cannot be treated by defibrillation. If the AED does not advise a shock, check the pulse, and if there is none, continue CPR.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Friday, September 2, 2016

Protect Your Health With An Annual Physical!

How long has it been since you've had a physical? If you're like many people, you may not even remember the last time you had one. Although you may have visited the doctor when you had the flu or a sinus infection, those visits don't take the place of a comprehensive annual physical.

Ever ignored a strange noise under the hood of your car and hoped that it would magically disappear? Unfortunately, ignoring those noises often leads to a large bill at your local car repair shop when the problem not only doesn't go away, but gets worse. Ignoring small health problems can be just as devastating. Sometimes symptoms are so mild that you may not realize that they're a problem. Have First 2 Aid come out to your place of employment and conduct your annual physical.

During an annual physical, your doctor reviews your medical history and evaluates your entire body. Annual physicals usually focus on:

The basics: Weight and blood pressure readings are important part of every annual examination. High blood pressure is a common health problem, yet it can be symptomless. It's not unusual to find out you have high blood pressure during an annual physical.

Abdomen: Problems with your organs can discovered with an abdominal examination. By pressing or tapping on your abdomen, your doctor can note tender areas, estimate the size of your liver and detect fluid build up.

Heart and lungs: Your doctor listens to your heart and lungs with a stethoscope and looks for signs of problems, such as an irregular heart beat or wheezing or decreased breath sounds, which can be signs of asthma, COPD, or other respiratory diseases.

Your skin: An examination of your skin or nails can also reveal health problems that have nothing to do with your skin or nails. For example, yellow skin can be a sign of liver disease, while dark creases in your skin can occur if you have Addison's disease, a disease that affects the adrenal system.

Blood tests: Although your doctor can spot many health issues during an annual physical, some problems can only be detected with blood tests. Blood tests can detect diabetes, kidney disease and high cholesterol levels. They're also used to determine the levels of crucial minerals in your body, such as iron and calcium, and provide important information about your red blood cell count.

Is it time for your annual exam? Call First 2 Aid today. Protect your health with an annual physical!

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid

Thursday, September 1, 2016

The Importance of CPR Training, AED Training, and First Aid Training

The simplest answer anyone can give to explain why CPR training for the workplace is important is the fact that it saves lives. When someone in the workplace suddenly goes into cardiac arrest and there is no one around who knows how to perform CPR or use an AED (automated external defibrillator), then that person’s chances of survival decreases significantly. There is also the increased chance of significant damage being done to the person’s heart, brain, and other vital organs should they survive the ordeal.

However, if there is someone around who knows CPR and how to operate an AED when an employee goes into cardiac arrest or stops breathing, then they have a chance of not only saving that person’s life, but they could also significantly reduce the risk of that person suffering damage to their heart, brain, and other vital organs since CPR helps keep the body oxygenated until professional help arrives. If the body is kept oxygenated until the paramedics arrive, then the victim is much less likely to suffer brain damage, heart damage, vital organ damage, or death. We may be sounding redundant, but the importance of CPR training, AED training, and first aid training cannot be stated strongly enough!

The leading cause of death among adults over 40 years old in the United States is sudden cardiac arrest, or SCA. Most people know this as a heart attack, and in the United States alone almost 360 thousand people a year experience EMS-assessed SCA outside of a hospital. Sadly, 9 out of every 10 of these people end up dying because help could not get there quick enough. That’s almost a thousand people a day dying from heart attacks suffered while outside of the hospital.

If you are an employee of a company and you feel you could use CPR training even though it is not required for you, you can still check to see what CPR, AED, and first aid training classes are available. Knowing CPR won’t just benefit you in the workplace, but it will also benefit you at home and out in public. The difference between knowing CPR and not knowing CPR could be life or death for a close friend or loved one. Also remember that simply knowing CPR will give you a better sense of calm in dire situations and will allow you to make wiser and more thought out decisions when they are most important. When someone’s life is hanging in the balance, you will want all the confidence you can get.

www.first2aid.com | 407-900-1144 | plus.google.com/+First2aid