What to do if someone has a Cardiac Arrest at work

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.

Recognising the signs of Cardiac Arrest

The signs of Cardiac Arrest could initially be confused with other conditions as they involve the casualty losing consciousness rapidly and collapsing. However, there are some checks to make, to rule out other conditions and confirm a cardiac arrest. 

• Shale their shoulders and ask "Are you okay?" to judge their level of responsiveness, someone in cardiac arrest will be unresponsive
• Check their breathing - tilt their head back using your finger on their chin, lower your ear to their mouth while looking down over their chest. Look for their chest rising and falling or their breath on your cheek
• Someone in Cardiac Arrest may exhibit Agonal Breathing, whixh can sound like gasping or snoring - this is NOT normal breathing
• If the casualty is unresponsive and not breathing normally, call 999 immediately, begin CPR and send for a defibrillator

Treating a Cardiac Arrest 

The only definitive treatment for a cardiac arrest is CPR to keep blood flowing to the vital organs and buy time, then a shock from a defibrillator to restart the heart in a normal rhythm. The steps to take are as follows:

 1. Call 999Dial 999 and ask for an ambulance.Put the phone on speaker mode.Follow the call handler's instructions

.2. Check the PersonDanger: Ensure the area is safe.Response: Shake shoulders and shout loudly.Airway: Tilt head back, lift chin.Breathing: Check for normal breathing (maximum 10 seconds). Noisy gasps mean the heart has stopped.

3. Start CPRPosition: Place heel of hand on center of chest. Interlock fingers.Compress: Push down 5 to 6 cm deep.Speed: Pump fast at 100 to 120 beats per minute (rhythm of "Stayin' Alive").Ratio: Give 30 compressions then 2 breaths, or do continuous hands-only CPR.

4. Use an AED (Defibrillator)Open it: Turn it on; it speaks instructions.Pads: Stick adhesive pads on bare chest as pictured.Shock: Stand back if the machine commands a shock. Press button.Resume: Start CPR again immediately after.

• Dial 999 and ask for an ambulance.

• Put the phone on speaker mode.

• Follow the call handler's instructions.

• Danger: Ensure the area is safe.
• Response: Shake shoulders and shout loudly.
• Airway: Tilt head back, lift chin.
• Breathing: Check for normal breathing (maximum 10 seconds). Noisy gasps mean the heart has stopped.

• Position: Place heel of hand on center of chest. Interlock fingers.
• Compress: Push down 5 to 6 cm deep.
• Speed: Pump fast at 100 to 120 beats per minute (rhythm of "Stayin' Alive").
• Ratio: Give 30 compressions then 2 breaths, or do continuous hands-only CPR.

• Open it: Turn it on; it speaks instructions.
• Pads: Stick adhesive pads on bare chest as pictured.
• Shock: Stand back if the machine commands a shock. Press button.
• Resume: Start CPR again immediately after.

You should continue using an AED and performing CPR until the patient regains consciousness or the emergency services arrive and take over.

Feel confident to respond

Imperative Training as been offering a range of courses to support businesss across the UK with their training needs since 2003. View our in house first aid courses here, which cover CPR and the use of an AED.

Alternatively, contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to discuss your needs