Is Your Company’s First Aid Kit ANSI Compliant?
Falling objects, heavy machinery, dangerous chemicals – depending on your occupation, workplace hazards are an everyday reality. And whether you’ve suffered a paper cut in the office, a broken bone in the factory, or a chemical burn in the lab, the next step should be the same for everyone – the first aid kit. But what happens if there are no ointments, bandages, or wraps at hand? If it were your business, you could be penalized or possibly even fined for not being in compliance with guidelines established by the American National Standards Institute, or ANSI.
What is ANSI Compliance?
ANSI is an organization comprising industry representatives, experts and policy heads who have joined forces to agree on a set of standards for workplace safety. Included as part of that directive are guidelines for what first aid kits should contain. In practice, these standards are enforced by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), which requires work sites with more than five employees to have accessible ANSI compliant first aid kits for use. Chances are good that your current workplace environment falls into this segment.
In 2016, approximately 2.9 million nonfatal injuries and illnesses occurred in the workplace according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And those were just the injuries that got reported. Not surprisingly, first aid kits are often the first line of treatment for workplace injuries and a vital component of workplace safety. Although overall incidents have dropped over the last decade, that doesn’t mean businesses can slack when it comes to sufficient first aid supply. In fact, companies that fail to properly equip work environments risk serious penalties or fines if caught.
ANSI First Aid Kit Compliance Basics
The latest standard, ANSI Z308.1-2015, establishes “the minimum requirement for a workplace first aid kit,” and defines two different classes of kit.
Class A First Aid Kits kits pertain to the most common workplace injuries including minor cuts, scrapes, burns, abrasions, and strains, and contain items ranging from antibiotic ointment and burn treatment to bandages, medical tape and more.
Class B First Aid KIts kits are utilized in more high-risk workplace environments, meaning they contain larger quantities of the Class A items as well as things like a padded splint, tourniquet, and other emergency supplies for high-hazard job sites.
ANSI Compliance Made Simple
The new ANSI first aid kit requirements add 18 items to the Class A first aid kit and 21 to Class B. This means your current kit is likely out of date. But First Aid Supplies Online has made upgrading a breeze through our new Compliance Page with links to purchase individual items or complete first aid kits, as well as the required ANSI labels.