It’s one of those action-packed days at work. A new product is about to be launched and everyone is working their socks off to bring preparations to a close on time.
That’s when one of your team suffers an injury. You reach your first aid cabinet and search for some gauze swabs to realise there is none.
As an entrepreneur, you should make sure your workplace safety is your primary focus.
All Australian workers are under the protection of the WHS Act. And you are legally responsible to provide your workers with first aid kits, facilities and trained personnel. At all times.
Often the main culprit of a workplace injury complication is the lack of first aid supplies. Being prepared at all times for workplace emergencies will help you save yourself a lot of headaches.
So, forestall workplace incidents by knowing how to restock your first aid supplies and keep them up-to-date with complex, ever-shifting regulations. Keep reading and you’ll find out how.
Our simple guidelines are going to help you untangle the complex plot of managing your workplace first aid supplies.
Know Which Industry-Specific First Aid Kit Supplies You Need
Are you stocked up? Do you know the essentials suitable for your specific workplace?
What you need to stock in your emergency first aid kit depends on your industry and type of workplace. So, you pick your first aid kit contents based on a risk assessment. Things you should consider is the nature of the business, the typical hazards involved, and the number of employees.
Certain workplaces may be at a higher risk for certain types of injuries than others. Restaurants may include some additional bandages since working with sharp knives can cause more cuts. For steel welders who need to endure dust and fumes, it’s good to have some extra eye-pads at hand.
Here’s a checklist of some basic items to stock up your workplace first aid kits with:
- Bandages of different shapes and sizes
- Absorbent Compress
- Adhesive tape
- Antiseptic solution or towelettes
- Cold pack or ice bag
- Elastic bandage for sprains and strains
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Sterile latex gloves
- Sterile eyewash
- Antibiotic ointment
- Eye covering
- Cotton balls and cotton-tipped swabs
Review, Restock, Refill and Repeat
You’ll have no use for an emergency first aid kit if you toss it away in an office corner and forget all about it until an emergency arises. It should be kept fully stocked at all times.
So it’s best to stick to recommendations of restocking it every 3 to 6 months. Reassessing and restocking your emergency supplies should be entrusted to your first aiders and put on the top of their to-do list.
You can have your very own DIY first aid kit but having a managed first aid kit ensures it is restocked and up to date at all times.
In order to maintain your office first aid kits properly, your first aiders should perform these tasks regularly:
- Monitor access to the first aid kit and ensure items are replaced as soon as practicable after use.
- Undertake regular annual audits (at a bare minimum) to ensure the kit contains a complete set of the required items and that they comply with standards (an inventory list in the kit should be signed and dated after each audit).
- Make sure items are in good working order, are not damaged or worn out, that they are within their expiry dates.
Make Sure Your First Aid Kits are Up to Date and WHS Compliant
Maybe one of the trickiest questions is how to keep current with ever-changing WH&S legislation. This situation causes massive confusion in Australian workplaces, and legitimately so. Yet, failing to have fully stocked and up to date, first aid supplies can lead to heavy fines of up to $3,000,000.
Under WHS laws, as a business owner, you’re obliged to undertake a first aid risk assessment of your workplace. You’re further obliged to stock your first aid kits with appropriate modules based on the hazards identified and to keep the kits regularly updated and serviced and have sufficient numbers of first aiders.
Use our quick first aid checklist to measure your workplace against the required standards. And check out our Beginner’s Guide To First Aid Workplace Compliance to look into the subject more thoroughly.
Or Use First Aid Restocking Signs and Dial Alsco for Help
Auditing and replacing your first aid stocks as soon as they’re depleted is the smart way to go. And the only way that guarantees safety for your employees. Trust us, you don’t want to make a blunder in these matters.
Renting your first aid kits could save you the trouble of constantly replacing your stock and bearing hefty initial costs. It could help you forget all about the bother of keeping up to date with complex WHS regulations and going through excessive red tape.
Fortunately, you can rely on Alsco to do all this on your behalf. Our Managed Rental First Aid Services offer hospital grade supplies, quarterly servicing and regular restocking. For one fixed annual fee!
Why us? Well, we’ve got a knack for keeping your workplace safe, secure, and 100% WHS compliant. Irrespective of the type of workplace. We’ve got kits suitable for each line of work.
Our service begins with a complete survey of your workplace to determine compliance requirements. And when you need restocking or refills of your emergency supplies, all you have to do is dial up our special hotline and your items will be replaced. That’s it!
Get your Restocking Signs here!
Play It Safe and Smart
Making health and safety part of your core company values will make you a secure and talent competitive company. It will help you reduce your turnover rates and make your current employees feel safe and in turn be more productive. However incorporating safety management into your business operations is not an easy feat.
So, let Alsco take care of it for you! Take advantage of our first aid kit rental service to save time and money, avoid hefty WHS fines, and keep your staff healthy, happy, and safe.
It will allow you to take a breather from non-core tasks and do some real business. And most importantly, set you free from worrying about your workplace safety. Thousands of Australian companies already entrust their workplace safety to us. Just dial Alsco now, and you’re all set.
Photo courtesy of Flickr Images by KOMUnews