By Patricia Corrigan, as published in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch .

You're talking with a colleague at the office. Suddenly, that colleague collapses.

What do you do?

Ideally, your place of employment has emergency medical equipment on hand and people trained to use it. The National Safety Council reports 4.3 million total workplace injuries and illnesses and 5,703 work-related fatalities in private industry in 2004. More than 220,000 Americans suffer cardiac arrest each year, and more than 90 percent of heart attacks occur outside hospitals - in homes, in cars, at the mall, at the office. Your co-workers also may experience a stroke, faint or choke on food.

Companies of all sizes can be better prepared to handle such events by providing employees with training that teaches how to assess the nature of a medical emergency and provide immediate assistance.

"With our training programs, we are working feverishly to strengthen what we call the chain of survival," says Linda Mihanovich, emergency cardiovascular care service center manager at the local branch of the American Heart Association. "The more people who are trained, the safer everyone is."

Joyce Bathke, director of health and safety for the St. Louis Area Chapter of the American Red Cross, echoes that sentiment. "We would encourage all companies to provide emergency medical training for employees because you never know when you may need someone with that training," she says. "Having someone who knows how to respond is so much better than standing there and not being able to help."

Both agencies offer training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) and in the use of the automated external defibrillation (AED) device, which analyzes the heart's rhythm and delivers a shock that helps the heart to re-establish a normal rhythm. (Portable AEDs are now considered standard equipment in offices and many public places.) Refresher courses - certification is good for two years - also are available.

Both agencies send instructors into the workplace and offer classes off-site. Typically, such training programs cost $39 to $50. The American Heart Association also offers online courses that require a follow-up skills evaluation. Also available are "self-directed CPR learning kits" that include a manual, a mannequin and a DVD. The kit, which does not include certification, costs $69.95.

Does such training pay off?

Ask those people who have suffered sudden cardiac arrest at the top of the Gateway Arch, at the Galleria, at the gym, in traffic or at the office. Ask those people whose lives were saved with CPR or whose hearts were restored to natural rhythm by someone trained in the use of the AED.

Survival rates exceed 70 percent if the AED is used within the first few minutes of sudden cardiac arrest. The Red Cross reports that "the chances of survival decrease by approximately 10 percent with each minute that passes following sudden cardiac arrest."

You say you'd rather leave it to the experts? The response time for emergency medical technicians and paramedics is more than 10 minutes, resulting in an average survival rate of less than 5 percent, according to the Red Cross.

Last year, the Red Cross trained more than 85,000 people in lifesaving techniques. Four times a year, the agency recognizes individuals with its Lifesaver Awards, paying tribute to people who have helped others experiencing medical emergencies.

Worried about liability? All "do-gooders" are protected under the Good Samaritan Law as long as they do what they are trained to do and do not go beyond their level of expertise. Every state has such a law, though the wording varies, Bathke notes. Also, the Federal Cardiac Arrest Survival Act of 2000 provides immunity for firms and agencies that have AEDs, provided they meet the law's requirements.

In spite of its role in protecting Good Samaritans, the federal government does not mandate what emergency medical training must be provided in the workplace or what emergency supplies and equipment must be kept on hand. "We do have a standard, but it is extremely general," says Tom Briggs, assistant area director of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

"Basically, it's up to employers whether or not to get outside training or what to keep on site, but we do say that companies must ensure ready availability to medical personnel," Briggs says. "Certainly, in the absence of a nearby infirmary or hospital, someone in the workplace should be trained to provide emergency care."

SIDEBAR:

Want training information?

OSHA Guidelines:

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration offers the following guidelines for employers:

Note: Consultants at OSHA will provide free assistance to employers who want help "in establishing and maintaining a safe and healthful workplace." The service is primarily aimed at smaller employers with more hazardous operations. The confidential consultation includes an appraisal of mechanical systems, work practices and occupational safety and health hazards, as well as all aspects of the employer's current job safety and health program. For more information, see www.osha.gov/dcsp/smallbusiness/consult.html.

Source: www.osha.gov.