Does your first aid kit meet industry standards? Make sure that your workplace first aid kits are able to help your employees and meet new industry standards by Oct 15.
Newly released OSHA-recommended ASNI/ISEA standards update regulations for minimum first aid kit requirements on worksites. The newest version, Z308.1-2021, is available in full for purchase at the ISEA website only, but we’ve explained key updates below.
Read on for all you need to know about your kits’ compliance.
What to Check and Update
1. Mandatory Additions: Tourniquets and Blankets
Wider tourniquets and emergency foil blankets are now mandatory.
To meet the minimum requirements of ANSI standards, tourniquets in compliant kits should be no less than 1.5 inches in width, raised from the previously standard 1-inch width minimum. They should also stretch to work effectively on limbs sizes 7 to 33 inches in diameter.
Why? This change is meant to help workplaces differentiate tourniquets meant for drawing blood from those meant for emergency blood stopping. Shop our compliant tourniquets here after Labor Day.
Additionally, foil blankets are now mandatory (minimum 52-by-84 inches) due to the many ways they can be used in emergency situations. Shop these blankets here.
2. Bleeding Control Kits
The new standards also give additional guidance on bleeding control kits. These kits are specially designed to include everything needed to reduce blood loss in an emergency situation.
While a recommended addition to any kit, this is a non-mandatory addition to your first aid supplies. However, most kits include specifically-made tourniquets AND emergency blankets, which would allow you to stock both along with a kit of other dedicated blood control supplies.
Office360 highly recommends this addition for Class B kits and in medium-to-high risk workplaces. For specific kit content requirements, see slide 18 at the link here. Shop our selection of bleeding control kit options here.
3. Restock Your Supply and Recommendations
Your first aid kits should have everything required by previous standards in addition to these new updates. This link will provide a comprehensive guide to these requirements, while this PDF will give you a specific overview of kit content. Be sure to check that all items are there, replace used supplies and throw out any expired products!
Beyond these requirements, ASNI standards now recommend adding assorted bandages, a splinter remover and seasonal first aid supplies to your kit.
Shop all first aid supplies here.
Finally, a first aid kit can only be helpful if it has the supplies you need. ASNI has provided a clear, updated outline for workplace hazard assessment and first aid maintenance. To learn more about next steps in hazard prevention and first aid readiness, see slides 19 through 25 in this presentation.
First Aid is Workplace Safety
As we’ve said many times before, safety is the number one priority in every workspace. Keep your first aid kits up to date, safety protocols to standard and your staff happy and healthy. And we’ll do what we can to help you make that happen.
Look here for a simplified two-page fact sheet on these new requirements.