Question: Would you share the requirements for first-aid kits and, more importantly, ways that we can emphasize and support their use and acceptance by our employees? We have 25 employees, split between field operations and office personnel. We would appreciate any tips on making this part of our safety program.

Answer: First-aid kits and the necessary training are vital components of all safety programs as set forth by both OSHA and ANSI. To answer your question, we will share more practical and effective ways to make first-aid kits a key component of your company’s safety culture.

Review of Governmental Requirements

The primary OSHA standard for first-aid is 29 CFR 1910.151. These guidelines were set forth to ensure that employers provide readily available and adequate first-aid supplies for all employees. The key requirements are:

  • Availability: Supplies must be in an easily accessible, visible and clearly marked area.
  • Compliance: OSHA recommends the ANSI Z308.1-2021 standards for first-aid kit contents based on Class A (common injuries) or Class B (complex/high risk work environments). Our industry remains in Class A.
  • Maintenance: First-aid kits should be inspected regularly and restocked as needed.

Office First-Aid Kit

The office is the focal point for all companies in our industry. Route drivers begin and end each day here. Office staff handle both internal and external communication during the day. Deliveries, pickups and yard maintenance all take place in the yard outside the office. The office first-aid kit must be well stocked and able to deal with a large variety of potential situations.

For our industry, there are two recommended types of containers for first-aid supplies:

  • Type I: Used in stationary and indoor facilities where damage to the supplies from environmental factors and rough handling is minimal.
  • Type II: Intended for portable use in outdoor settings where, again, potential damage from environmental factors or rough handling is minimal.

Depending on the physical layout of your particular location, you may want to consider a Type I first-aid kit for the office and a Type II kit for the yard.

The components of a Type I first-aid kit as set forth by ANSI Z308.1 (2021) include, at a minimum:

  • Adhesive bandages, adhesive tape, antibiotic application, antiseptic, burn dressing, burn treatment, cold pack, CPR breathing barrier, eye covering with means of attachment, eye/skin wash, first-aid guide, foil blanket, hand sanitizer, medical exam gloves, roller bandage, scissors, splint, sterile pad, tourniquet, trauma pad and triangular bandage.

These kits come in various sizes — from 10-person, 25-person, 50-person, 75-person and the largest, 100-person kit.

Some tips for office first-aid kits include:

  • Choose the location of the first-aid kit to be in a prominent, well-traveled area of your office. Placing the kit in a storage area or other remote area is ineffective as everyone in the company needs to know the location of these items and time could be of the essence in an emergency situation.
  • Mount the office first-aid kit on the wall as opposed to storing it in a cabinet or on a shelf. The kit could be covered with other items or moved at some point. Quick and easy access to these first-aid items is extremely important in time of need.
  • Consider mounting the first-aid kit in the same general area as an existing fire extinguisher in these common areas. This will create a safety area where both of these items can be quickly accessed in the event of an emergency.
  • Signage is also a helpful item creating a culture of safety in your company. Federal regulations require fire extinguisher signage, and adding “First-Aid Kit” signage by the mounted kit can be equally as helpful. Some companies will also post signage in another area close to the safety area with arrows pointing in the direction of this location.
  • Post the names and numbers of the first-aid and CPR-trained and/or certified employees in the safety area so that these individuals can be contacted if needed in an emergency situation. Posting their certificates and/or permits is also an efficient method to ensure that the individuals remain current with their authorizations.
  • Inventory the contents on a regular and consistent basis. Many PROs have established the practice of monthly or quarterly safety meetings. This is an excellent time to review the supply levels in your first-aid kits.

Field First-Aid Kits

As we have stated in the past, best practices recommend that a small, personal first-aid kit be a requirement in all company vehicles. In addition, an eye-wash kit and a small bottle of hydrogen peroxide for use on scrapes and cuts are beneficial in our industry.

The location of these kits should be in the cab of the truck and easily accessible by the route service driver.

Useful tips for drivers first-aid kits include:

  • Do not place first-aid kits in areas where they can be obscured from view. Placing kits in glove compartments or behind seats allows for them to be covered with other items and the “out of sight, out of mind” mindset develops.
  • Mount the first-aid kit behind the passenger seat on the back wall of the cab. There are mounts available that allow the kit to easily be slid out of the mount by the driver.
  • Attach the first-aid kit to the headrest of the back of the passenger seat, depending on the make and model of the truck. This provides even easier access to these supplies.
  • Provide visible signage for safety. Place a small decal in the cab that points to the first-aid kit. This can help in times of emergency.
  • As part of a weekly or monthly inspection and inventory of equipment on the service vehicle, require inspection of the onboard first-aid kit to check supply levels and to report any supplies that need to be replenished.

Formal First-Aid Training

This information is consistent with our previous reporting. Many nationally recognized and other private educational groups offer training. The most popular organizations include the American Red Cross, the National Safety Council and the American Heart Association.

Based on “best practices,” OSHA has several important and useful suggestions:

  • Hands-on training is much more effective and beneficial than training videos or manuals.
  • Annual renewal of training maintains skills and increases knowledge of first-aid procedures and techniques.
    • Suggested training should include performing CPR, wound treatment, burns and temperature extremes (frostbite, hypothermia, heat exhaustion and heat stroke).
    • Another possible area of training is using an automated external defibrillator (AED) for potential heart issues. This is more specialized training and requires that this equipment be purchased by the company.

Formal first-aid training is usually held locally in your community but, under certain conditions, the trainer can come to your company location. For example, the American Red Cross has a minimum of eight people required for on-site group training. Again, depending on the policies and requirements of the training organization, certification ranges from six months to a year and then recertification is required.

Company-Wide First-Aid Training

We cannot overemphasize the importance of safety and first-aid training in your company.

A major point of emphasis should be the location and use of a current list of emergency telephone numbers (police, ambulance, fire and poison control). This list should be posted in an easily accessible area of the office or facility. This could be in your “safety area” as previously discussed. This information should also be available to the route service technicians in their vehicles, whether on their electronic device or in their document notebook, if used by the company.

Also, as we have previously stated, periodic safety meetings with all employees are highly encouraged. Many PROs designate meetings to specifically address the use of personal first-aid kits in the field. In addition, if the company has a trained first-aid contact, this person can also demonstrate emergency techniques for other employees.

FINAL THOUGHTS:

Safety should be a fundamental component of each PRO’s mission statement. First-aid kits and proper training are important elements of that plan — as is PPE usage and training. An excellent way of creating and developing a first-aid plan for your company is available through OSHA. Best Practices Guide: Fundamentals of a Workplace First-Aid Program, can be found at osha.gov and may provide additional ideas to further enhance and improve this aspect of your safety program.

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