A usual First Aid Kit consists of bandages, ointments and medicine. However, these items can be helpful just to a certain point. If a serious injury occurs in the workplace, you will definitely want to have a well equipped first aid kit.
Also, you should make sure your company is investing in the employees’ training when it comes to health and safety in the workplace. Health and Safety Work Act tells you all about the rules, regulations and the advised content of your workplace’s first aid kit.
Furthermore, it discusses the importance of the first aid training for the employees and advisable reminders for all other people who can be found in your workplace’s facilities, including both the visitors and customers
The most important pieces of information you must know about First Aid are the following.
Firstly, the type of training and First Aid equipment you need depends on:
- The number of employees
- The types of threats and hazards present at the workplace
- The amount of time needed to get to a hospital/ specialized medical aid facility
Also, be aware that, ideally, a company operating as a Low-Risk environment should have at least one first aid professional for every fifty employees. High-Risk workplaces must have at least one for every twenty-five.
Workplace First Aid
Make sure that only first aid qualified personnel assist a victim in case of an injury or an accident. If you wonder why - well simply because an untrained employee performing first aid may cause more damage than help. It is, therefore, imperative that a point person is trained and well equipped with relevant knowledge.
Trainings and exercises are core parts of any business operation - this preparatory act can actually save more lives and prevent further damage if followed correctly. As such, employees should know how to act and respond during an injury or emergency situation. In terms of first aid, employees should know the following:
- who to call for help,
- how to report the incident
- how to reach for help
- the location of the first aid room and/or first aid kit(s). The workplace should have a strategic location for these facilities and equipment. It is best to have them in prominent, clear areas.
- the location of the nearest medical facilities. The name, address, operating hours, and telephone numbers should be listed and posted in a suitable way
- the location of the list of first aid attendants which directs where to find the attendant or a telephone number. This list must also include the hierarchy of sorts, like whom to call first, second, and any other person or entity that are related to any given emergency.
Learn Everything about the Workplace
The company’s first aid facility and emergency requirements bank on the work orientation. It is not the same if the workplace is an automotive workshop or a candy shop, right? Consequently, the kind of training may also vary. Your first aid and emergency strategy needs to take into consideration the following factors:
- Chemicals which can be found in the workplace.
- Controlling the crowd. Study the general area and its surrounding infrastructures like schools, retail stores and parks. How will these institutions react should there be an emergency in your place?
- Ensure extra care for people with special needs. Take into full account how to handle persons with disabilities, known medical conditions, and sensitive age groups like children and the elderly.
- Employees who work alone. This type of employees must be given full orientation on first aid.
- Assessing the proximity of the nearest medical facility. What mode of transportation is needed to transport an injured person?
The Content of a First Aid Kit
You do not have to buy ordinary first aid kits. You can choose all the items and tools inside your first aid kit on your own. The seconds spent to locate a proper piece of equipment can actually make the difference when an accident occurs.
However, you have to know that the minimum standard content of a first aid kit are:
- Absorbent compress
- Adhesive bandages and tape
- Single-use antiseptics
- Burn treatment applications
- Sterile pads
- Triangular bandage
- Medical glove
The First Aid kit contents must be examined regularly and items past the expiration date have to be removed from the kit. As earlier mentioned, different industries require a different approach to first aid.
Furthermore, all First Aid kits must be kept in a visible and marked location. Each complete first aid kits should contain the proper information typed in a readable font.
The inside of the kits should have enough space in between every item for easy access. Employees need to know exactly where each item is located.
Another option to consider is to contract a medical supply company. These companies do not only refill your first aid kits so you do not have to worry about the supplies, but they help control what types and quantities of items should be in them.
Finally, Alsco can help you to make your workplace first aid compliant with WHS requirements. For a start, we are providing a free collection of first aid guides and resources to help you with first aid and WHS compliance.
