Author: Dawn Evans

 

In the apparent safety of our homes and the rush of our everyday lives, we may not pay much notice to hazards. It is easy to think that accidents at home, compared with those that take place on roads or in workplaces, are less frequent or severe. However, the reality is that every year thousands of accidents leading to death or injury happen at home.

The good news is that these accidents are often avoidable. Making your home a safer place begins with identifying the hazards in your home, and deciding on the best measures to eliminate or reduce them. That’s why we’ve outlined some of the major hazards in the home, and some ways in which you can improve home safety.

 

Slips, trips and falls

Slips, trips and falls are one of the biggest safety risks in the home, particularly if you have young children or elderly family members.

To minimise the risk, you can take the following precautions:

– Ensure that staircases have secure flooring and a sturdy handrail fitted at a suitable height.

– Falls often occur at night or in poorly lit places, so well-lit staircases – preferably with a light switch at both the top and bottom – are essential.

– Always keep steps free of clutter. Try to avoid putting anything down on the steps, even temporarily.

– Clean up spillages in the house immediately.

– Look for hazards such as worn or loose flooring, slippery mats or rugs, holes and cracks in outdoor pathways, and trailing cables. Make sure that all flooring is in good repair and minimise slippery surfaces.

– Never place rugs at the top or bottom of the stairs. Consider using non-slip underlay to keep any rugs in place, and non-slip strips or mats in the bath or shower.

– If there are young children in the home, ensure that you have an appropriate safety gate installed. Wall-mounted safety gates are generally recommended for the top of the staircase, as they can withstand more pressure than a pressure-mounted safety gate. They also do not have a bottom rail, so there is less of a tripping hazard.

 

Poisoning

– Store chemical products high up on shelves – both in the house and in outdoor sheds – in order to limit children’s access to them. Child-proof locks on cabinets will give added protection.

– Where possible, purchase products with child-resistant packaging.

– Avoid keeping medicines in drawers, purses or clothing.

– Be sure to keep chemical products in their containers; do not use any other container for storage purposes (for example, drink bottles or food containers).

– Do not mix cleaning products together, as this may result in harmful fumes or chemical reactions.

– Keep small batteries out of the reach of children.

 

Fires

– Over 200 people in the UK died in house fires in 2015, and the likelihood of dying in a fire is at least 7 times greater if there are no working smoke alarms in your home.* Therefore one of the most crucial steps in making your home safe is to ensure that smoke alarms are correctly fitted, regularly tested, and well maintained.

– It is a good idea to make a fire escape plan for your home, and discuss with household members the actions that should be taken in the event of a fire. Make sure that exits aren’t obstructed, and that everyone is aware of where door and window keys are kept.

– Avoid leaving the kitchen while you’re cooking, particularly when you’re frying food. Unattended cooking is one of the leading causes of house fires.

– Take extra care when loose-fitting clothing when cooking if possible, as this can catch fire easily.

– Don’t exceed the maximum current rating of electrical sockets by plugging in too many appliances. This is particularly important for appliances like washing machines, dishwashers, and microwaves, which use a lot of electricity. One plug per socket is ideal.

– If you use candles, put them in candle holders, and make sure that they are positioned safely, away from objects that may catch fire such as paper or curtains. Remember to put them out before leaving the room, and especially before going to bed.

 

*Source: https://firekills.campaign.gov.uk/

In aid of Red Nose Day on 24th March, Ajuda hosted a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party to raise money for the very important charity. The money that is raised on Red Nose Day funds more than 2,000 projects throughout the UK, addressing issues such as homelessness, mental health, dementia and vulnerable young people. The money also helps 11.7 million people across Africa, tackling issues such as immunisation, malaria, education, maternal health and much more.  Since launching in 1985, Comic Relief has raised over £1 billion to help drive positive change using the power of entertainment.

 

After weeks of deliberating in the office about what we could do to raise money for this great cause, Managing Director Dawn came up with the idea of the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (we’re all mad here!).
Considering the fact that we are only a small office, we are incredibly proud that between us, we fundraised £50. Every member of staff got involved by dressing up and bringing snacks to work and a fantastic afternoon was had by all. The total amount of money raised by Comic Relief this year is a staggering £73,026,234 so far.

Fire can have an devastating impact on anybody who is unfortunate enough to be near it. We all know that the flames and heat from a fire can cause a great deal of harm – from breathing the hot air killing a person instantly to life threatening or life changing burns on the body.  There are many other aspects of fires that can cause a great deal of harm:

– Smoke – surprising to some, the most common cause of death in fires is the inhalation of smoke and fumes.

– The damage from a fire can cause the structure of a building to collapse. People can suffer injuries from elements such as falling debris during a fire.

– Lack of oxygen.

– No escape route.

 

There are countless reasons why you should do a Fire Safety course. Here are our top 5:

1) Fire Prevention.

Learning how to prevent fires from occurring is a good enough reason alone to book yourself onto a Fire Safety course. It is so important to know what simple measures you can take such as keeping fire exits clear, keeping the workplace tidy, effective management of waste and understanding how to reduce the risk of electrical fires occurring.

2) Saving Lives and Minimising the Damage.

Having effective procedures and measures in place can save lives. Fire alarms, smoke detectors, emergency lighting, fire exits and escape routes are all measures that can be taken to minimise the damage of fires when they do occur. You can learn about all the fire protection measures on a Fire Safety course and what measures best suit your premises.

3) Fire extinguishers.

Depending on what type of material is burning in a fire, the extinguishers required can vary. Knowing when to use each extinguisher is vital knowledge to minimise the damage from fire. On our Ajuda Fire Safety and the Role of the Fire Marshal courses each delegate gets the chance to use a fire extinguisher after learning all about their different purposes.

4) Cost.

The average cost to a business is £21,000 per fire. In learning how to prevent fires from occurring you are largely reducing the risk of a fire in your place of work.

5) The Law.

According to gov.uk you are responsible for fire safety in business or other non-domestic premises if you are: an employer, the owner, the landlord, an occupier, anyone else with control of the premises, for example, a facilities manager, building manager, managing agent or risk assessor.

You’re known as the ‘responsible person’.

As the responsible person, you must:

– Carry out a fire risk assessment of the premises which is reviewed on a regular basis

– Tell staff or their representatives about the risks you’ve identified

– Put in place, and maintain, appropriate fire safety measures

– Plan for an emergency

– Provide staff with information, fire safety instructions and training

 

Our next Fire Safety Course at the Ajuda Training Academy is 19th April. To see our full course calendar please click here.

 

There are many great reasons our trainers could give you for becoming a First Aid Trainer. We’ve gathered together some of what we think are the most significant pros you should seriously consider about being a First Aid Trainer

 

1. Educate others to save lives

The most obvious point we can highlight here is the fact that in becoming a first aid and defibrillator trainer you are educating people to save lives. You are sharing valuable knowledge with people who may well find themselves in an emergency situation where they have to administer first aid to someone. First aid is an incredibly valuable life skill to learn and passing on this important knowledge is very worthy.

2. Flexibility

If flexible working is something you require, becoming a trainer is a fantastic means to do this. Essentially this allows you the potential to work as and when you want as you are self-employed.

3. Always needed

First aid is always in demand – learning first aid skills is never going to go out of fashion which means that there will always be demand for people who can teach this subject area.

4. Career

Becoming a first aid trainer is an accessible career route. If you are aiming to be a first aid trainer within your place of work to teach other members of staff (unaccredited), other than the level 3 First Aid at Work, you do not need any other qualifications to sit this course. However, to be a freelance trainer who teaches at an accredited level you will need either a PGCE qualification or level 3 Education and Training (or the equivalent).

5. Exciting

No two days are the same. You can expect a diverse range of people who want to learn first aid. One day you might be training business associates who require this qualification for their line of work and the next day you could expect a group of young people looking to expand their CV.

 

We’ve got a couple of spaces left on our First Aid Trainer and our Defibrillator Trainer course running in November. Please let us know if you are interested in booking yourself onto this course as soon as possible by calling us on 029 2057 6883 or emailing admin @ajuda.org.uk

 

Or for more info and to book online click here

Wednesday 8^th March 2017

Happy International Women’s Day!

A key focus of today is celebrating women’s achievements in the political, economic, and social spheres. Here at Ajuda, we firmly believe that opportunities for women should be maximised in all walks of life, and particularly in business.  This would be beneficial to society as a whole, as increasing the number of women in business could bring huge economic growth – RBS calculated that ‘boosting female entrepreneurship could deliver approximately £60bn extra to the UK economy’.*

The Managing Director and founder of Ajuda, Dawn Evans, was named Female Entrepreneur of the Year 2016 at the South Wales Business Awards. Her initial business plan was to create a business that delivered First Aid training in Cardiff. However, since she established Ajuda in 2009, it has expanded to train thousands of people, both locally and across the UK, in a variety of different courses. It is our aim to truly make a difference to safety standards in the community and further afield, and upskill as many people as possible.

A Role Model for the Welsh Government Big Ideas Programme, Dawn strives to inspire young people to follow the path of entrepreneurship. She often delivers presentations at schools and colleges, where she shares her own experiences of founding a successful local company. Through her role as a business mentor for The Prince’s Trust, she has also given support and advice to young individuals who are entering into self-employment.

The theme of this year’s International Women’s Day campaign, #BeBoldforChange, encourages us all to take action to contribute to a more gender equal world: ‘Through purposeful collaboration, we can help women advance and unleash the limitless potential offered to economies the world over.’* We hope that today, by celebrating women in leadership roles, we can promote their visibility – giving them due credit for their success and highlighting role models for other women to be inspired by.

*Anne McPherson, RBS, published in the Guardian Wednesday 10^th April 2013 – https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2013/apr/10/female-business-owners-banks-help

*https://www.internationalwomensday.com/Theme

Following last week’s severe weather conditions and the arrival of Storm Doris alongside the promise of further cold weather, rain, wind and wintry showers for the foreseeable future, Ajuda have put together a short list of tips on how to stay safe in extreme weather conditions.

 

– Keep an eye out for Met Office severe weather warnings.

– Within the home, be prepared for power cuts by ensuring that you have things such as torches, batteries and a first aid kit ready to hand in the home.

– If possible, park your car in the garage.

– Wrap up warm and wear sensible, sturdy shoes with good grip if you’re going to be outside at all.

– Follow the A, B, C of staying safe in winter and bad weather conditions.

– A = Avoid driving in treacherous conditions if possible.

– B = Be prepared if you are heading out in dangerous weather conditions.

– Ensure that your vehicle is well-maintained (MOT, regular servicing etc).

– Regularly check tyres, the levels of your engine oil, coolant and screen washer.

– Make sure that you have anti-freeze in your radiator and windscreen washer bottle.

– Have an ice-scraper and de-icer handy at all times.

– Ensure that you have a winter driving kit stored in your car including a blanket, warm clothes, a torch, first aid kit, a spade, warning triangle, water and food stored in your car in case of an emergency.

– Always have a well-charged phone in case of emergencies.

– Check the weather forecast and plan your journey carefully. For example, when the weather is bad, main roads are more likely to be cleared and gritted. Allow yourself plenty of time to get from place to place as there may be hold ups on the road.

– C = Careful, Cautious driving.

– If visibility is poor, slow right down.

– Maintain a safe gap between you and the vehicle in front.

– Be extra vigilant for people and hazards and remain in control of your vehicle.

 

We’re certainly hoping the weather lifts soon and that spring doesn’t take too long to show its face. But, for now, we hope that you find this quick checklist useful and ensure that you and your loved ones remain safe in these extreme weather conditions.

Ajuda offers online training alongside our more traditional in-house training. There are many different types of learners. Whilst visual learners learn by visual experience, such as our online learning portal, another type of learner may prefer audio, learning by listening to instructions.  Or, you could be a kinaesthetic learner, who learns by doing, feeling and touching. Ajuda understands the requirement to facilitate training to meet the needs of all different learning styles.  With a mixture of classroom based and online learning, Ajuda aims to support all types of learning.

If you feel that online training is more suited to your learning requirements, this blog highlights the benefits of undertaking our online training courses.

Online Training Portal

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Pros:

– The real beauty of online training is that you can complete courses in your own time. This means you can work at your own pace, not necessarily completing the course in one sitting. You can also replay videos as many times as you need.

– If you are on a budget, online training is a great portal to use to educate yourself.

– As an employer, if you need to train your staff, online training requires your staff to take less time away from the office.

– Our courses are interactive and engaging with video examples of real world scenarios.

– Provided that you have an internet connection, our courses are accessible wherever you are and, at whatever time.

– The teacher on our videos is clear, concise and easy to understand.

– Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, you can learn vital lessons from the comfort of your own sofa. What’s not to love?!

Cons:

– There will be no tutor present for you to ask questions – however, if you are really stuck, you can contact Ajuda on info@ajuda.org.uk.

– There is no practical side to the lessons however, they do incorporate a lot of visual cues to aid you in your learning.

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For further information on any of our courses please contact us on 029 20576883.  Alternatively, you can email us on info@ajuda.org.uk. You can sign up for a free trial for our virtual training by visiting our online portal under the ‘Online Training’ section of our website.  You can also book yourself onto an in-house course via the ‘Training’ section of the site.

 

 

After a stroke, every minute that passes is crucial. The most common type of stroke, ischemic stroke (accounting for approximately 90% of all strokes) occurs when a clot blocks an artery to the brain.  According to Harvard Health, two million brain cells die every minute until blood flow is restored by an infusion of tPa in hospital.*

 

Being able to identify a stroke and ensure early treatment for the patient therefore greatly increases their chance of survival and a good recovery. You can learn how to do this by following these simple steps:

 

1.) Remember the acronym FAST.

This will help you to recognise the most common signs of a stroke:

Face – has their face dropped on one side? Ask them to smile – is their smile crooked?

Arms – ask them to lift both of their arms out. Does one arm drift downwards? Are they unable to lift one arm at all?

Speech – is their speech slurred? Are they unable to speak at all?

Time – if the answer is ‘yes’ to the above questions, then it’s time for you to dial 999 and ask for an ambulance.

 

The FAST test applies to most strokes; however, there are other possible signs and symptoms, such as: dizziness, blurred vision, severe headaches, paralysis of one side of the body, loss of balance, difficulty understanding speech, and loss of consciousness. A full list of potential stroke symptoms can be found here: http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Stroke/Pages/Symptoms.aspx.

 

Don’t drive the patient to the hospital yourself – it is six times more likely a stroke patient will receive early tPa treatment if they are taken in an ambulance.* The paramedics’ role is vital in taking care of the stroke patient, and informing the hospital so they can make the necessary preparations.

 

While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, there are other steps you can take, which the emergency operator will guide you through – so it’s important to stay on the line.

 

2.) Check their levels of consciousness.

 

– If the stroke patient is conscious, lay them down on their side with their head slightly raised and supported.

– If they are unconscious, check their pulse and breathing and lay them on their side. If they are not breathing or do not have a pulse, start performing CPR immediately. The operator will instruct you on how to do this if you are unsure.

– If they are conscious, help them to lay them on their side, with their head slightly elevated and supported. Putting them in this position will help blood flow to the brain, and will also prevent a fall if their balance has been affected.

 

3.) Loosen any tight clothing to ensure that their breathing is unrestricted.

 

4.) Make sure that the front door is unlocked so that the paramedics have easy access to the patient.

 

5.) Observe

Note the time that they began showing symptoms of the stroke, or when they were last seen ‘normal’. This information is important as it will help doctors determine the best treatment for the individual. Clearly describe the situation to the paramedics, and inform them of any health problems the person has, and any medication they are taking.

DON’T give them food or drink, as their ability to swallow may have been affected.

 

While you are carrying out these steps, try to remain calm and comfort the person; tell them that help is on its way. Although it is a frightening situation, remember that by staying calm and taking quick action, you will make a huge difference to the person’s chances of recovery.

 

*Statistics from Harvard Health, http://www.health.harvard.edu/heart-health/stroke-every-minute-counts.

Following the tragic news of the death of a five-year-old boy who choked on food at school in Hull two weeks ago, Ajuda would like to raise awareness about what to do in an emergency when a baby or a child is choking.  Knowing what to do in these situations is an important life skill for anyone who spends time around children in a work or social setting. Here is a step by step guide on what to do when a child is choking.

Conscious Baby

1) Sit or kneel and lay the baby over your lap. Lay the baby face down on your forearm and hold your arm on your thigh to hold the baby steady. Support the chin with one hand and ensure that the head and neck are lower than the torso.

2) Using the heel of your free hand, deliver five blows between the shoulder blades – check the mouth each time.

3) If the object is not coughed up, turn the baby onto its back. Rest them on your forearm and use your thigh to support the body and your hand to steady the head and neck. Ensure that both the head and neck are lower than the torso.

4) Use two fingers to deliver five chest thrusts to the centre of the chest, directly on the breastbone and in between the nipples. Stop if the baby starts to cough so that they can cough up the object.

5) If they still can’t breathe, continue to alternate between five back blows and five chest thrusts until the airway is unblocked.

Unconscious Baby

1) Lay the baby on its back. To open the airway, tilt the head back and lift the chin.

2) Check to see if the baby is breathing normally by taking the cheek down to the mouth – listen, feel for breath on your cheek and look for the chest to rise and fall.

3) If baby is not breathing put your mouth over the nose and mouth to create a seal and give five initial rescue breaths (blow in just enough air to make the chest visibly rise). Take care not to over-inflate the lungs.

4) Combine rescue breaths with chest compressions: Use 2 fingers to depress the chest (on the sternum in the centre of the chest) at least a third of its depth (4cm).

5) Give 30 chest compressions at a rate of 100 – 120 per minute.

6) Open the airway again by tilting the head and lifting the chin, then give 2 more rescue breaths.

7) Continue this cycle until the baby regains consciousness If the baby doesn’t regain consciousness, continue with rescue breathing and chest compressions until professional help arrives. Ensure that you are checking for signs of normal breathing, coughing and movement every minute.

Conscious Child

1) Encourage the child to cough.

2) Back blows – stand to the side and lean the child forward whilst supporting them with one hand across the chest. Using the heel of the other hand deliver 5 back blows in between the shoulder blades progressively getting harder with each one and ensuring that you also check the mouth after each blow.

3) If the back blows are ineffective, the next stage is abdominal thrusts.

4) Stand or kneel behind child and wrap your arms around the waist.

5) Make a fist with one hand and place the thumb side on the child’s abdomen (below the ribs). Your fist should be positioned just above the navel and below the child’s breastbone.

6) Gently squeeze in and up sharply 5 times unless the object comes out.

7) Repeat these 2 stages until the object is expelled.

If you’ve had to perform abdominal thrusts on a child, it is important to seek medical attention even if they seem okay and the object has been expelled.

Unconscious Child

1) Lay child on their back. Open the airway by tilting the head back, lifting the chin and moving the tongue off the back of the throat.

2) Check for breathing. Look for the chest to rise and fall, listen with your ear next to the mouth and feel for breath on your cheek.

3) If you establish that the child is breathing, put them into the recovery position.

4) If the child is not breathing, commence with CPR. With the head still tilted back, seal your mouth over the child’s mouth (but not the nose) and pinch their nose. Blow steadily into the mouth until the chest rises. Remove your mouth and allow the chest to fall. Repeat four more times.

5) Combine rescue breaths with chest compressions – lean over the child, with your arm straight, place the heel of one hand in the centre of the chest over the lower half of the breastbone. Press the chest down by at least one-third of its depth. Repeat this 30 times at a rate of about twice a second.

6) Open the airway again by tilting the head and lifting the chin, then give two more rescue breaths.

7) Continue with chest compressions and rescue breaths at a ratio of 30:2 until the child regains consciousness or professional help arrives. Ensure to check for signs of normal breathing, coughing and movement each minute.

When to step in:

It is important to call for emergency help and start these rescue steps if your child shows any of these signs:

– Inability to talk, swallow, cry or make any sort of noise

– Blue lips or skin

– Inability to breathe

– Loss of consciousness

 

When not to step in:

Believe it or not, however much we want to rush to a child’s aid, there are times when applying these rescue steps can cause more harm than good. If your child can do any of the following, this means that the airway is only partially blocked and trying to unblock it could make it worse:

– Coughing

– Talking

– Crying

– Breathing

 

Ajuda have released a video series called ‘How To Save Your Children’ on our YouTube channel with physical demonstrations of these practices. Please watch our videos for further and more in depth information.

 

 

Paediatric First Aid… It’s not just for professional carers!

 

Anyone who works with children on a professional basis – nursery staff, childminders, nannies, pre-school and after-school club staff – must have a paediatric first aid qualification. Ajuda’s Level 3 Award in Paediatric First Aid is designed for staff working in childcare settings; they meet legal requirements by gaining an accredited certificate, and their workplaces will be able to reassure parents that their children are being cared for by trained and knowledgeable staff.  The course gives delegates the ability to deliver first aid to infants and children in the event of unconsciousness, choking, bleeding, shock, burns, and a number of other injuries and conditions.

However, this course would be beneficial for anyone who is responsible for looking after infants and/or children and who would like to have the skills and knowledge to administer first aid treatment in a medical emergency. This means parents, expectant parents, grandparents, other relatives, and carers. For these individuals, there is also a less time-consuming training option that would still give you essential first aid skills: our Parent & Baby First Aid course. This is run over 3 hours and, like the Level 3 Award, combines both theory and practical sessions.

Attending paediatric first aid training is simple, and means that parents and professionals alike are far better prepared for the basic medical emergencies that commonly affect children. Please visit our website https://www.ajuda.org.uk/training/first-aid/ or call us on 029 2057 6883 for more information.

Be sure to subscribe to Ajuda’s Youtube channel and check out our How to Save Your Children video series, where you can learn vital first aid skills for babies and children!  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1AMwn1l-kRuWJK_43mIh7A

Many people are aware of the tragic numbers of Mesothelioma deaths due to past asbestos exposure or that working at a height or in confined spaces is highly dangerous and needs to be risk assessed. However, Health and Safety courses cover plenty of topics alongside these important subjects. These range from Fire Safety, Trips and Falls, Manual Handling, Work-Related Stress and many more issues which affect all types of workplaces.

Did you know that 30.4 million working days were lost in 2015/16 due to work-related illness and non-fatal workplace injuries in 2015/16?*

Or that 0.5 million workers were suffering from work-related musculoskeletal disorders?

Not forgetting the 0.5 million workers who were suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety last year?

The repercussions of this can have a drastic impact on your business. 25.9 million working days were lost due to work-related illnesses.

Ajuda runs the Level 2 Award in Health and Safety, which is an accredited qualification designed to give staff greater awareness of health and safety issues within the workplace. This course will be delivered by one of our highly knowledgeable trainers, and can be tailored to the needs of businesses or individuals for greater relevance.

For our next health and safety course, running on the 19th June, we are offering a 50% discount! Click here to book https://www.ajuda.org.uk/training/health-and-safety/ or call us on 029 2057 6883.

 

*All statistics from http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/overall/hssh1516.pdf?pdf=hssh1516