Why aren't we training for electric vehicle first aid?
There is so much press around the specific challenges raised by buying, operating and maintaining electric vehicles and yet nobody seems to be considering what happens if they fail.
The emergency services are starting to incorporate specific training for roadside rescue but what about garages and workshops? In order to comply with Health and Safety Executive best practice any business must have a first aid risk assessment that outlines hazards specific to their particular place of work.
Manufacturers and dealer groups have invested a great deal of time and money in bringing electrical vehicles online. Technicians are specifically taught how to isolate them and make them safe before working on them.
What happens if...
What type of first aid challenges might an electrical vehicle bring to an individual or business?
- High voltage injures present themselves differently from conventional injuries. There may be no visible signs on the casualty. The burns are internal.
- If batteries over heat there is an increased risk of fire. How do you treat these burns?
- Can you move the patient?
Does your current first aid risk assessment take into account the evolving risk of electrical vehicles?
Does your training and equipment enable your team to respond appropriately?
If not there is a very good chance you are not compliant with Health and Safety Guidelines. This challenge applies equally to passenger cars and commercial vehicles.
Our chief instructor Mike Hope working with The ATACC Group has created an electric vehicle module as part of our emergency and first aid at work courses. There is no extra charge for the module.
