By Susan Carter
MCTSI Executive Director

For decades Michigan's building trades have relied on classes on first aid, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and now automated external defibrillation (AED) from the Michigan Construction Trades Safety Institute and its predecessor.

Today's MCTSI is a subsidiary of the Great Lakes Construction Alliance and has annually re-certified hundreds of skilled trades workers in its Save-A-Life Club.

MIOSHA regulations call for at least one worker who has been certified in first aid, CPR, and AED on every project site. Through the support of the membership base of construction unions, employer associations, and signatory contractors, the goal of the MCTSI is not only to make sure that requirement is filled, but to enhance every skilled trade worker's ability to deal with medical emergencies, whether they occur at work, off the job, or at home.

On average one in three Americans suffer a nonfatal injury every year and over 140,000 die in accidents. In fact, injuries are the third leading cause of death, topped only by heart disease and stroke. Knowledge and training in emergency medical skills can reduce death and improve the injured victim's chances for a full recovery. Simply knowing what to do when a back, neck, or skull fracture from a fall or impact - be it from a structural steel beam or from an excavation accident - can be extremely important.

That's because each year more than 80,000 in our country suffer unnecessary but permanently disabling injuries of the spine and brain.

Of course, people normally don't want to think about accidents and other dire medical emergencies. It also takes a commitment of time for studying, training, and practicing to keep your emergency medical skills up to date. But the payoff can be huge if you ever have the opportunity to save the life of a co-worker, friend, parent, or child.

Take heart attacks. A person's first heart attack can strike them at any time or place, often without warning. He or she may be unaware of any pre-existing problems. Chances for a heart attack rise as people get older, an important consideration in a construction labor force that is not as youthful as it once was. Knowing CPR and how to use AED devices can greatly improve their chances for survival.

Significantly, 250,000 Americans per year die of a heart attack within one hour of its onset. If they'd received emergency treatment, a great many of them would be able to reach the emergency room and be saved.

CPR combines rescue breathing with chest compression to temporarily provide oxygen to the brain and heart until advanced medical support can be provided. If cardiac arrest (heartbeat stoppage) has occurred, an AED can be used to administer an electric shock through the chest wall to restore a beat.

Today's portable AEDs have built in computer chips to assess the victim's heart rhythm, judge whether a defibrillating shock is needed, and to administer the shock. More than 350,000 Americans die every year of sudden cardiac arrest outside of hospitals. Survival from cardiac arrests is directly linked to the time to defibrillation by an AED. Survival rates drop 10% for every minute defibrillation is delayed.

Without formal first aid training, people may believe they've picked up enough on how to deal with medical emergencies from television or other public media, but probably what they do know is fragmentary at best. During a real medical emergency they may not remember what they learn or be too panic stricken to appropriately make use of it. That's why taking classes through the MCTSI can be very appropriate, even if you never have to use your knowledge at work.

If your son hits his head while diving in your backyard swimming pool, or your father collapses next to you at church, or your neighbor falls off his roof, you'll be thankful you took the time to become a certified Save-A-Life club member.

MCTSI classes are conducted at 22 locations around the state of Michigan, with the Fall 2002 schedule beginning just after Labor Day. The institute can also conduct special class sessions at signatory contractor offices by special arrangement. Eight hours of class time are required to receive a certification card. To remain certified you must take a two-hour MCTSI refresher class every year.

To get you and your fellow workers involved in Save-A-Life certification, have your employer or union contact the MCTSI directly, to set up classes and obtain schedules. It can be reached at (800) 657-8345 or by e-mail atinfo@mctsi.org.