Potentially life-saving equipment has been installed in all 11 James Burrell Builders Merchants branches across the North East and Yorkshire, with each site now having a defibrillator placed behind the trade counter.
The company has also invested time into training as many members of staff as possible, with the aim of eventually having each employee trained on how to use the defib. These sessions are vital for familiarising and educating staff on the machines as well as to boost confidence if a situation was ever to arise when the machine needed to be used.
Paul Butler, Health and Safety Manager, said: “Although we do invest heavily into First Aid Training, defibrillation is the only proven method to treat a Sudden Cardiac Arrest. The potentially life-saving devices can increase the cardiac arrest survival rate to between 60-70%.
“We truly hope that we never need to use one of our defibrillators, but this installation provides our staff and the local community access to a vital resource. I am beyond pleased that all of our branches are equipped with an elite lifesaving device ready for use in emergency situations.”
James Burrell worked with Defib Machines throughout the whole process of the installation and training of the machines.
Jonathan Gilbert, Managing Director at Defib Machines, said: “It was refreshing to hear the passion and approach that James Burrell has towards safety for all staff and visitors to its locations. We were able to provide a review of each site and work together to agree the most appropriate place for each device. Now there is a defib machine on every James Burrell site, with staff who have been trained on how to use the device.
“Each location is managed by ourselves which means that every site is kept up to date and does not have to worry about their defib, with the peace of mind that it will be in full working order when needed most. (Across the country as a whole) we are a long way from this approach to keeping anyone and everyone heart safe in the workplace, but James Burrell has joined a growing number of companies that we work with who are intent on setting this standard as the norm.”
The company’s investment follows a years’ worth of fundraising that the James Burrell staff had undertaken in 2019. Staff raised over £1,600 for North East Hearts with Goals, allowing them to install a community de-fib close to James Burrell’s Gateshead site.
