Duncan Bannatyne makes hospitality first aid training call

Suitable first aid training is vital among personnel in all sectors, including hospitality. If bosses fail to ensure that the relevant members of staff have benefited from these courses, they risk endangering their personnel and they may also find they fall foul of the law.

One man who is well aware of the importance of suitable first aid at work training is Dragons’ Den star Duncan Bannatyne.

Speaking to BigHospitality, the entrepreneur revealed that he has benefited from the first aid skills of one of his own workers. Last September, he collapsed at his head office due to severe chest pains. Luckily, his secretary knew what to do and was able to offer effective assistance.

He is now backing a national campaign seeking to encourage more firms to roll out first aid training.

Mr Bannatyne remarked: “The responsibility ultimately lies with the employers; to ensure their staff are well trained. I don’t think employers like me initially realise the benefits – imagine if you spent just a little bit of money and ended up saving someone’s life from it.”

The businessman, who owns four major hotels, suggested that his business and other hospitality organisations around the country need to become more proactive when it comes to first aid skills.

It is impossible for managers to predict if and when medical emergencies will arise, so it is crucial that they ensure their workers are prepared to deal with these situations. These days, it is straightforward for bosses to arrange first aid at work training, so there is no reason for them to hesitate.

Even seemingly benign environments, like traditional offices, can become the scenes of medical emergencies.

As well as helping to ensure that workplaces are safer and enabling firms to comply with the law, suitable first aid training can boost people’s peace of mind.