As part of ensuring environmental, health and social safety during implementation of Malawi Water and Sanitation Project-1 (MWSP-1), Blantyre Water Board (BWB) and Blantyre City Council (BCC) have been conducting first aid training for their workers to ensure workplace safety.
The training, facilitated by St. John Ambulance, aimed to equip staff with lifesaving skills for handling emergencies during the project’s implementation and in their respective workplaces.
One of the facilitators, Rhoda Kadziwe, commended BWB and BCC for prioritizing safety. “BWB and BCC have taken a good step forward because many organizations overlook First Aid. This training equips employees with lifesaving skills and fosters a culture of safety,” she stated.
Morris Tengatenga, MWSP-1’s Environmental Health and Safety Specialist, emphasized the importance of the training in project implementation.
“Accidents can happen at any time. We need to be prepared to respond effectively,” he said.
He further noted that given the project’s multiple physical works, the risk of accidents and illnesses is inevitable. That is why BWB and BCC took a proactive step in ensuring their staff undergo First Aid training to help save lives in case of emergencies at work.
Symon Bambi, a plumber at BWB, appreciated the initiative, stating: “As plumbers, we work on faults that may be along fences, posing a risk. While digging, a fence could collapse on us or others. In fact, this happened when I was working on a fault in Soche Zone. This training will be extremely useful if such incidents occur again.”
Participants engaged in hands-on exercises covering First Aid for bleeding, choking, and wound care, as well as the management of bone and joint injuries, head injuries, and spinal injuries. They were also trained in handling various medical conditions, amputations, burns, and stroke emergencies. Additionally, the course addressed response techniques for shock, drowning, snake bites, and Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), ensuring that staff are well-equipped to respond effectively to a variety of emergency situations.
