Manufacturers urged to invest in first aid training

Left to right: Greg Kane, CEO of Conservatory Outlet, Craig Jarvis, Craig Levin, Andrew Wildsmith, Glyn Beaumont and Mick Giscombe, managing director of Conservatory Outlet

One of the UK’s leading fenestration manufacturers has hailed the importance of ‘first aiders’ in the workplace and having access to a defibrillator after three of its staff joined forces to save the life of a colleague who had collapsed. Craig Jarvis, Andrew Wildsmith and Glyn Beaumont, who all work on the shopfloor at Conservatory Outlet, came to the assistance of Maciej Kucharski last month after he suffered what paramedics described as ‘six cardiac arrests’. The trio immediately reacted to his condition by performing CPR and giving mouth-to-mouth resuscitation, while briefing the ambulance service on the situation and responding to their instructions.

Fortunately, their quick actions gave the paramedics time to reach The Cutting Room factory in Wakefield, and after using the defibrillator, they were able to revive him. Maciej Kucharski, who is 63 years old, is now back home after having an implantable cardioverter defibrillator fitted and is expected to make a full recovery.

Andrew Wildsmith, production operative at Conservatory Outlet, said: “I only completed my first aid training three weeks before, and never did I expect to have to put it to use so quickly. The CPR I learned was fresh in my mind. I was able to perform it on Maciej, while Glyn supported me, clearing his airways and giving mouth-to-mouth. Time freezes when you are in this moment, but we just kept going until the paramedics arrived — they were fantastic.”

Craig Jarvis, who oversaw liaison with the ambulance service, picked up the story: “Maciej is so well-liked in the factory, he is a real gentleman. I am just pleased that the three of us could give him the best chance of surviving, and we are delighted that he is now on the mend. Hopefully, we will see him back on the production line before too long.”

On-site defibrillator
Conservatory Outlet is now urging more companies to invest in first aid training for their staff and ensure they install defibrillators on-site. Without highly trained first aiders on shift and the presence of an on-site defibrillator, the outcome of Maciej’s cardiac arrest could have been very different.

Karen Starkey, head of human resources, said: “We are so proud of what Craig, Glyn and Andrew did and how they reacted to what was a very traumatic experience. They worked as a team, kept calm and then used their training to perform CPR. They never left his side until he was safely on his way to the hospital — that is what you call the best colleagues. It has reaffirmed the importance of having qualified first aiders and life-saving equipment on-site.”

The company, which employs 180 people, currently has 15 first aid trained staff members across its different shifts. It plans to increase that number further this year as part of its commitment to World Day for Safety and Health at Work, which is taking place today (28 April).

Ms Starkey concluded: “We are going to invest in even more first aid and medical training for our staff. Since the emergency happened, a lot of people have put their names down and want to learn so that they can provide support, whether at home, at work or out and about. I would encourage every business to provide free and open access to proper first aid training for its staff members and ensure that defibrillators are installed on-site. It makes a massive difference. As we have seen, it could be the difference between life and death.”

Glyn, Craig and Andrew were presented with an award and a gift by the senior management team at Conservatory Outlet yesterday in recognition of their life-saving efforts.