A cardiac arrest is the ultimate medical emergency, someone suffering a cardiac arrest has no pulse, and is not breathing effectively. Without treatment, they will be dead within minutes.

 With almost 100,000 Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrests each year in the UK, knowing how to respond to a cardiac arrest in the workplace is vital.

It's a normal day on the gym floor. Music's playing, members are training, and your team is busy coaching, cleaning, and chatting.

Then suddenly, someone collapses.

No warning. No time to prepare. Just a moment that changes everything.

The question is simple: would your staff know exactly what to do?

Mental Health Awareness Week (11–17 May 2026) is a powerful reminder that mental health is not just a conversation, it’s a responsibility.

At Imperative Training, we believe that creating safer workplaces goes beyond physical first aid. It means equipping people with the skills and confidence to support mental wellbeing too.

Because just like physical health, mental health can’t be left to chance.

When someone suffers a sudden cardiac arrest (SCA), every second counts. Immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) can double or even triple the chances of survival. By manually pumping the chest, CPR keeps blood, and with it, oxygen, flowing to the brain and vital organs until further help arrives.

But here’s the key question: is CPR alone enough to bring someone back?