The ANSI Z308.1-2015 Standard Revised

In a post earlier this year we posted ANSI’s Z308.1-2014 Table 1. Illustrating the two classes of first aid kits that are required.  As of June 2015, ANSI Z308.1-2015 revised the earlier standard that never actually went into effect. Here is the current illustration for your review. There were a couple of minor size changes, but the list remains essentially unchanged.

We did want to bring to your attention what we see as the only difference between the two classes of first aid kits.  We don’t think it’s a big deal, but we also know that there are many others out there that are going to try and make this a very big deal. So have the facts on your side, here they are.  Highlighted below are the two reasons that this new standard won’t apply to the vast majority of workplaces.

Here’s why:

ANSI Z308.1-2015 5.1.1 “Class A first aid kits are intended to provide a basic range of products to deal with most common types of injuries encountered in the workplace including major wounds, minor wounds (cuts and abrasions), minor burns and eye injuries. 

ANSI Z308.1-2015 5.5.2 “Class B first aid kits are intended to provide broader range and quantity of supplies to deal with injuries encountered in more populated, complex and/or high-risk workplace environments.”

We believe that this standard is so vague that just about anybody could opt out of the Class B kits.  The reason we believe it is because the main difference between the classes is that the Class B kit is required to have a splint and a tourniquet.  That’s it.  So, unless you are logging on some remote mountain top in an isolated area without emergency services or performing extremely dangerous duties then you will probably get by fine with the Class A kit.