One tool that any successful office needs is a well-stocked first aid kit. These allow you to deal with some of the more common injuries that occur in the workplace before seeking outside medical attention. A good first aid kit will provide you with supplies to deal with common and small injuries, such as cuts and scrapes. But it will also help you prevent further injury to an employee in case of a more serious accident; you should have some supplies ready to start caring for an employee before the paramedic arrives. Here are ten must-have supplies for your office first aid kit.
Must Have #1: Bandages
Bandages are necessary to quickly deal with any small cuts or scrapes in the office. While they may not always be medically necessary, they prevent the injury from touching office surfaces. An employee with a cut should put on the bandage individually.
Must Have #2: Tweezers
Tweezers are good for removing splinters, but also for removing bits of debris from a cut. For best practice, these should be sterilized both before and after use with an alcohol pad.
Must Have #3: Gloves
Gloves should be a universal precaution any time blood or other body fluids are involved. A good first aid kit should have several pairs of gloves available at all times.
Must Have #4: Gauze
For injuries involving more blood, gauze is a good thing to have on hand. A wound needs to be cleaned and disinfected with first, and then gauze can be applied with pressure to stop the bleeding.
Must Have #5: Air Cast
For breaks or sprains, an aircast can be put in place to hold the injury still until a paramedic arrives. This prevents further injury or pain to the employee. Air casts are small and flexible; they can fold to fit employees of all sizes.
Must Have #6: Medical adhesive tape
Medical tape is an all-around useful item to have in a medical kit. It can be used to hold gauze in place once the bleeding has slowed down. It can be used to extend or reinforce bandages. And it can be used to hold parts of an air cast in place if they are slipping.
Must Have #7: Antibacterial Ointment
Antibacterial ointment should be applied to any injury involving open skin. This will prevent further infection and help the injury heal more quickly.
Must Have #8: Trauma Shears
Trauma shears are a type of scissors that can cut through many materials, such as gauze, tape, bandages, and even clothing. These are the best type of scissors to have in a first aid kit.
Must Have #9: Irrigating Solution
A clean and non-irritating solution is useful for cleaning wounds and dealing with eye irritants. You can buy many varieties or irrigating solution in a regular drug store.
Must Have #10: Instructions Sheet
First aid kits should come with instructions on how to use each item in the kit. Even seemingly obvious advice should be included, to prevent any liability to the company.
These are only a few of the items that belong in an office first aid kit. Having a good first aid kit means that your employees will be safer in your office and you could prevent further damage that would result in liability to your company. Most first aid kits will include these items and more, but make sure these ten must-haves are in your company’s first aid kit.
