MEDICAL EMERGENCIES IN THE WORKPLACE: THE GOLDEN HOUR

There’s a phrase used in emergency medicine: ‘The Golden Hour’, and it’s not just some dramatic slogan. It refers to the first sixty minutes after a serious injury or medical event, where getting proper treatment quickly can mean the difference between life and death.

Here’s something most businesses don’t realise, medical emergencies happen far more often than serious criminal incidents. Whether you’re in corporate, retail, or industrial environments, it’s the heart attacks, strokes, diabetic collapses and workplace accidents that are taking people out, not the armed robbers.

But, when I walk into businesses, most have a better plan for stolen laptops than they do for someone going into cardiac arrest in the boardroom.

Why Medical Emergencies Are Becoming the Bigger Threat

At Mobi-Claw911, especially post COVID, we’ve seen a sharp increase in medical emergencies across the board and I mean across every sector.

Corporate: Heart attacks, strokes, mental breakdowns, allergic reactions, even people choking in the kitchen.

Retail: Fainting customers, dehydration, seizures, panic attacks, diabetic crashes.

Industrial: Crush injuries, falls, burns, chemical exposure, some of the worst scenes we’ve dealt with.

 In most workplaces, there’s a plan for load shedding and a plan for crime, but no plan for a heart attack. That’s where the real danger lies. And here’s the thing, none of these give you a warning. One minute your team is focused on hitting targets, the next, someone’s lying unconscious on the floor and you’ve got sixty seconds to decide what to do.

Workman’s Compensation: Great, But Not a Silver Bullet

There’s a lot of confusion out there about what Workman’s Compensation (COID) actually covers. Yes, it’s there to assist when someone gets hurt on duty. But it has limits. It covers medical treatment for on-the-job injuries, not illnesses such a heart disease, strokes, diabetic illnesses etc.

It doesn’t:

■ Help with medical emergencies off-site, off-duty, or if your admin isn’t in order

■ Cover staff not properly registered

■ Won’t assist contractors, casuals, or informal workers

And not everyone’s on medical aid, right? That’s where things fall apart, and fast, if you don’t have a backup.

Why an Emergency Service Like Mobi-Claw911 Makes Business Sense

 This is exactly why more businesses are turning to platforms like Mobi-Claw911 and not just for crime response. Our integrated Ambulance Plan has changed the game.

■ Your staff don’t need to remember five different emergency numbers.

■ We handle the entire incident, from dispatching an ambulance to briefing paramedics and staying in touch with your site manager and on scene preparation.

■ Even if your employee doesn’t have medical aid, they’re covered, fast, professional treatment either way.

■ And we assist where necessary with the after-action mess, such as updates, family liaison and recommending other contractors that may be required after the emergency, such trauma cleanups etc.

It’s one point of contact, one emergency number.

A Proper Emergency Plan Starts Before the Ambulance Arrives

 If you haven’t already walked through a medical emergency plan in your workplace, you need to. Because when it happens, there’s no time to figure it out.

Here’s what every business should already have sorted:

■ Who calls for help? Does your team know the number? It should be one number, not a lucky dip.

■ Who meets the ambulance? Someone needs to wait outside to wave them down.

■ Is there parking space? You’d be shocked how many ambulances get blocked by delivery vehicles.

■ Is the path clear? Can a stretcher get through reception? Has furniture been moved?

■ Who handles the crowd? Someone needs to keep the scene clear, calm and safe.

 These may sound like small things, but in a crisis, they make a massive difference.

 Gear You Should Already Have On Site

Don’t wait for a crisis to go shopping. Every workplace should have:

■ A first aid kit with trauma bandages, gloves, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) masks, burn gel

■ If your business has foot traffic or staff over 40, consider getting an automated external defibrillator (AED), they do save lives

■ Oxygen for industrial environments

■ Trained staff, ideally, at least one Level 3 first aider per shift

Bottom Line

 Look, we all know emergencies happen when you least expect them. But they don’t have to turn into disasters. With the right tools, a solid plan, and a partner like Mobi-Claw911 in your corner, you’re already five steps ahead of the chaos. In those first few minutes, clarity saves lives. Don’t wait until someone drops to figure out what to do. Mike Myers is the appointed Security & Emergency Services Advisor to Business Sense. He and his team consult to corporate, national business precincts, retail developments, and private emergency platforms.

T: +27 (0)31 109 1888

E: care@mobiventures.co.za

W: www.mobiventures.co.za