At RSB Rigging, safety is not a tick box exercise; it is an operational responsibility. Last week, the entire RSB team split into groups to step away from the yard and into the classroom where each team received a full day of intensive, real world medical training with experienced paramedic Amanda Hewson Beaver.
As Steve Branagh put it:
“The whole RSB team has now spent a full day in the classroom with Amanda Hewson Beaver. We spent time talking through the management of various different medical situations as well as working through practical problems on how to stabilise the patient while waiting for medical help to arrive.
I really felt that as part of the commitment to the safety of both our employees and the customers and clients that we work with, it was important that our complete team should have real world training with a practicing paramedic. Amanda has 30+ years of experience in emergency and trauma medicine and is very adept at explaining to everyone what to expect in a real life situation, giving them knowledge, confidence and the ability to deal with it.”
Amanda’s perspective from the week:
“I’ve just had an absolutely brilliant few days, land based, training with the team at RSB Rigging. These guys have each other’s lives in their hands every day. Big loads, tonnes of force. Working at heights and hydraulic load testing. These are the people behind the scenes who keep your mast up, tension your rig, splice lines and certify the huge loads that these superyachts and crew deal with. Such good energy and enthusiasm, it was an epic four days.”
This was not theory; it was scenario driven, hands on training built around the realities of our work environment.
What we covered during the medical training:
Medical kit review
• Trauma essentials versus optional equipment
• How to correctly set up and audit medical kits
• Hands on familiarisation with every component
CPR and cardiac emergencies
• High performance CPR drills with live feedback
• AED and defibrillator use
• Defined team roles during a cardiac arrest at sea
• Scenario training, team member collapse on site
Trauma management, breaks, bleeds, burns and crush injuries
• Bleeding control using tourniquets and haemostatic dressings
• Airway management and recovery positioning
• Chest injury recognition and immediate response
• Scenario training, crush injury on a winch, rope burn with vascular compromise
Medical emergencies at sea
• Recognition and management of anaphylaxis, seizures, stroke, diabetic emergencies and severe asthma
• Use of emergency medications including epinephrine, glucose and salbutamol
• Scenario training, anaphylaxis following a wasp sting in the workplace
In our world, we operate around significant loads, complex hydraulic systems and high consequence environments. Response time from external emergency services is not always immediate. The first response is us.
Investing in advanced medical training is part of how we protect our team, our clients and the vessels we work on. Because competence under load also means competence under pressure.
