With the support of the Red Cross, TELS launched a pilot first aid training project for drivers allowing to receive international certificates.
As part of corporate social responsibility program, TELS Group of Companies launched a pilot basic first aid training project for drivers this year. In April, first 18 drivers completed such training and received international certificates.
One of the drivers remarked on the benefit of the training: “When you are driving on the highway, 200 km away from the nearest village, you can count only on yourself and good luck to meet fellow drivers on the route. Besides knowledge, such courses definitely add more confidence”.
The course is prepared in a way to develop driver’s emergency response to most common situations:
- providing first aid to people injured in car accidents;
- injuries caused while securing the cargo and working with the trailer;
- deep cuts.
TELS has a strict driver selection policy allowing to drive company’s cars and include them to a trip – obligatory experience and length of service, thorough medical check-up before the trip. That’s why accidents involving TELS drivers are rare. From time to time, the drivers witness and offer voluntary assistance in accidents and other tragic incidents on the road.
The average age of truck drivers is increasing worldwide. Over 70% of people in this profession are over 45 years old. Due to the increased number of accidents caused by driver’s heart attack, a detailed lecture on prevention, recognition and treatment for heart attack or stroke was presented during the training.
One of TELS drivers shared his story when a medical check-up before the trip saved him from an accident: “I had a strange sensation in my chest during 2 days. As I could walk and felt as usual, I did not pay serious attention to the sensation. I was getting ready for a trip and as always had to undergo a medical check-up during which the doctor suspected that I had already had a heart attack without knowing it. Naturally, I was not allowed for the trip. Further examination revealed the previous heart attack, so I had to undergo the required rehabilitation. But for this check-up, everything could end sadly at any moment”.
Based on the feedback from the two groups of drivers, they consider company’s initiative to teach drivers basic first aid treatment extremely useful, confirming the fact that TELS is aiming at high international standards.