Knowledge of first aid and remaining calm in a stressful situation are two attributes that one of our colleagues displayed in abundance recently.
Cheryl Fawcett, who works in the PPP Improvements team, had joined a women’s walking group and on their first hike up Scafell Pike, she had to handle an alarming situation.
When they were about a quarter of the way up England’s highest peak, Cheryl was called to assess a fellow walker who was showing signs of distress.
The girl was shaking and struggling with her breathing. At first the girl’s friends said they believed she was having a panic attack but when Cheryl tried to calm the girl and ground her, it soon became clear that there was something more serious wrong.
Cheryl asked her friends if she had any medical conditions but they didn’t know and eventually the girl managed to tell them she had something called Vasovagal syncope (VVS), a sudden drop in heart rate or blood pressure that causes fainting.
So Cheryl adapted quickly and laid her down and raised her legs above her head to try and alleviate the condition.
She instructed another member of the group to contact 999 and ask for the mountain rescue while she continued to monitor the situation.
She asked if anyone had any glucose sachets and luckily another walker who was going past, was able to supply one so that Cheryl could then rub it into her gums, which helped bring her round.
Reassuring
Cheryl said: “I just knew I had to get information, keep her comfortable and stable, keeping her legs in the air. After five or 10 minutes a doctor came past, taking part in a race and I passed over the details to him and he took over,
“He just continued with what I had been doing which reassured me I had done all the right things.
“All the information from the EHSSQ team that goes onto SharePoint, along with life lessons I have learned along the way, all helped me.”
Cheryl stayed with the doctor until the patient was taken down on a stretcher and she knew she was okay, before carrying on to reach the summit of Scafell Pike.
She has also helped the walking group develop their health and safety awareness with tips she has picked up from her time on PPP.
She added: “I am trying to help them being proactive and not reactive, so checking we know of any medical conditions before we set off on the walk and making sure everyone knows which numbers to call if there are any issues.
“It is about being prepared, checking how many hours of light there will be and the weather conditions, to make sure you have the right kit and the right information.
“This awareness all comes from my time on PPP and how we need to be prepared and understand the conditions we are working in at all times.”
Our journey to Knowingly Safe is crucial, so that everyone is switched on to safety 24/7, at work and at home – and this is a great example of doing just that.
Read more of our Knowingly Safe 24/7 stories by clicking on the links below:
Knowingly Safe 24/7: First on the scene of gas explosion – Sellafield
Knowingly Safe 24/7: A life saved! – Sellafield
Ged’s commitment to safety observations – Sellafield