Arb Aid

[fergusonforestry]

dave

would your standard 3 day 'first aid at work' course cover you to use all the exta bits in this kit that are not in your regulation (1981)box or are we moveing on, to a higher level of first 'responder'?

 

its prety intense like you could deal with bullet wounds nevermind chainsaw injuries after the training! as far as i knew special training was provided with each purchase?

[Craig Johnson]

its prety intense like you could deal with bullet wounds nevermind chainsaw injuries after the training! as far as i knew special training was provided with each purchase?

 

if thats the case its very good value:thumbup1:

 

after attending my last first aid course and been told what we could and couldnt have in the 'box' which was bascally bandages and water:thumbdown: and i understand the reasons behind wanting a box like this on site, but (just for been a bit perdantic) wouldnt it be better to look at reducing the risk/chance of using the contents?

[Greig Sutherland]

I agree that you can't put a price on safety - but we're talking about putting a price on a First-Aid kit, not the training, experience or common sense required to effect a rescue. Don't get the two mixed up

Well it's a good start in my opinion, but what will you do when you effect the best rescue known to man, stand round him/her at the bottom of the tree watching the life blood run out of him/her because no one knows what to do or does not have a kit that can deal with the injuries. Good training, experience and common sense are just some of the qualities we all hope to have at our disposal when and if that time ever comes.

 

I would believe that most of you are capable of delivering first-aid with bits and pieces compared to an idiot with a fancy kit containing items he doesn't know how to use.

Well most of you wont have to use "bits and pieces" now you have the right kit for the job. The basic concepts developed by Arb Aid need some basic training on its use, it takes very little time to do so, you still have to apply that knowledge in a real life situation regardless of what you have at your disposal, why make life difficult when you don't have too, i can understand having to make do in the past thats why i designed the kit because bits and pieces isn't good enough in my opinion.

 

The cost of what's in this package may or may not justify the price tag - I would put more faith in a first-aider with effective training and a good role of Gaffa tape.

 

The thing with gaffa tape is that it's so bulky to have laying around, it doesn't fit in your pocket either and it'll take you 10 minutes just to find the end Thats like saying you use shoe laces to climb trees with just because it's the closest piece of "ropage" within reach, Loller'd of course I'd like to think arborists are made of better stuff than that using the right kit for the job. Question WeeDee - have you ever thought of the pain and suffering that a person might go through, possibly your friend when the docs try to peel off the aforementioned gaffer tape and bust the clot, tearing at the open skin and bone and muscle?

 

My advise is get hold of one of the kits at the next trade fair, have a really good look inside at the contents then have a chat with the company rep, but most of all, have a proper look at what you currently have as first aid provision and ask yourself..........

 

is it good enough?

 

Have a good/safe day .

 

Excellent advise David,

 

I believe the standard training would still suffice Craig.

 

Apart from the dedicated Tourniquet, which is obviously a specialist piece of first aid equipment that needs serious thought around how & when to use it.

(there is a manufacturers sheet supplied)

 

Good point David, some basic info is needed for proper tourniquet use, some things to bear in mind....

 

A tourniquet is a generic term for a "constricting or compressing device used to control venous and arterial circulation to an extremity for a period of time" - Wikipedia

 

If your going to have to use a tourniquet in an emergency situation The tourniquet supplied in our kits is the one for the job, stay away from narrower items like rope or boot laces - this is what causes tissue and nerve damage due to a crushing effect after prolonged and sustained pressure, and is what is most likely going to be used if it's all that's available, with our kits you have them on site close at hand maybe stropped to the nearest tree, the benefits of a crush proof/water proof case. It just makes sense.

 

First aid on site close at hand for when you need it, not just for chainsaw wounds either, i'm always looking out the cotton buds and mirror for when i get saw dust in the eyes, don't want to be a blind arb in ma old age

 

Can't see the trees for the wood - chip In my Eyes

[Greig Sutherland]

if thats the case its very good value:thumbup1:

 

after attending my last first aid course and been told what we could and couldnt have in the 'box' which was bascally bandages and water:thumbdown: and i understand the reasons behind wanting a box like this on site, but (just for been a bit perdantic) wouldnt it be better to look at reducing the risk/chance of using the contents?

 

Hi Judge,

It has to be the way forward if we stand any chance of getting home to see our loved ones, I've seen way to many threads on Arbtalk about injuries and deaths over the past year or two and having read the HSE report on fatalities in the industry doesn't make for pleasant reading either and that's just the stuff that's reported... This might be the first step in realising something needs to change, I can see lots of contributing factors that lead to injuries of any sort but where do we start when looking at reducing the risks and chance of using our fist aid kits, but this must be for the whole of Arb + Forestry in the UK, not just Arb's in the south of England.

 

Nothing happens very fast in my experience, look how long it has taken for the industry to adopt chainsaw protective trouser, god some folks still don't wear them...

 

 

Hi fergusonforestry, I hope you enjoyed our course and that it's been beneficial to you and the team you work with.

 

We offer Fpos(First person on scene) training to every customer but not every customer feels they need that extra training... from speaking to people who purchase a kit they realise there is a genuine requirement for a first aid kit that can handle the potential injuries a chainsaw user is likely to encounter but have not been able to find an alternative to

the "green boxes" on offer at the moment.

[Ian F]

Greg

 

My hat goes of to you. The ArbAid Kit is IMO a Fantastic peice of equipment and should be carried in all Arb Trucks up and down the country. I wish you all the success you deserve. I just hope people look past the cost and look at the life saving potential that this box could offer an employee or employer on site.

 

Ian

[Ross Beaumont]

looks prity cool but £290

[wildwood-dwt]

This Kit really looks like the Dogs danglies, However at £290 This is just too much! I have my first aid at work and various other qual's in first aid Volunteered with Saint John for 2 years to get myself some experience. Training is very good and I believe that everyone should have it, but needs to be backed up with experience.

 

We are arborists NOT paramedics, anything that is not in the regular £20 kit TBH is wasted on me, first aid is about stalling the deterioration of the casualty's condition until the real paramedics get there.

 

£290 is a lotta cash, does it really offer that many more benefits from the £20 kit? How log does the contents last before its Selby date is reached and you have to throw it away?

 

 

 

 

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Edited March 1, 2011 by Monkey-D
use of language

[Treemon]

Looks like a good bit of kit - but the price! We run 5 vehicles

[Greig Sutherland]

Greg

 

My hat goes of to you. The ArbAid Kit is IMO a Fantastic peice of equipment and should be carried in all Arb Trucks up and down the country. I wish you all the success you deserve. I just hope people look past the cost and look at the life saving potential that this box could offer an employee or employer on site.

 

Ian

 

Hi Ian, thanks for the kind words, it really makes it feel that bit more worth while when i get good feedback from guys like yourself, how many will i put you down for

 

looks prity cool but £290

 

How much do you pay for ppe every year or two? They are designed to save a life, well not 1oo% of course but it helps to some extent, my point is, we spend alot of money on ppe that is not 100% effective and we all know this but yet when all else fails and the accident happens, a crappy we first aid kit at our disposal just to keep the HSE happy, not good sense imo.

 

Nobody is saying we have to become paramedics, there is no medication in this kit at all, no green jump suits or flashy lights and sirens just good quality products that aid in "stalling the deterioration of the casualty's condition" until the paramedics arrive, technology has moved forward since the uk government introduced first aid for everyone nearly 30 years ago and the legislation that was brought out has pretty much stayed the same since.

What is wrong with having that little extra knowledge, we all do training to become arborists, just another feather in the cap imo.

 

Contents vary from 3 years for some products and 5 for others, all at a very affordable price. I am struggling to comprehend how you can think a £20 kit is sufficient for the potential injuries an arb or forester might encounter, did you see the pics of Dave's leg? Sticky on the general forum page, fatality in surrey? Just some of the few accidents that have happened.

 

Looks like a good bit of kit - but the price! We run 5 vehicles

 

If you have 5 vehicles running that's alot of gear to buy every year never mind trucks to run, insurance etc etc, in the scale of things it's a small price to pay when you have that kind of turn over. 3 men per truck on average, so that's £100 per man and that cost will less than quarter in 3 years for your first refill and you still have the case as it come with a lifetime guarantee. Good business sense cause it will save you money in the long term.

Edited March 2, 2011 by Greig Sutherland

[Theocus]

looks prity cool but £290

 

 

I think if ever something should happen and you open up the £25 10man first aid kit and think, balls this isnt going to work, £290 will seem like an absolute bargain. The people who work for me have said they feel better knowing there is a kit in the truck that will cope with 99% of possible incidents.

 

Buy one and hope you never need it.