Business owners and office managers have a responsibility to keep employees and visitors safe. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) requires companies to have first aid kits available to treat injuries. If you operate a law or accounting firm, make sure that you have the supplies you need and that employees know where to find them and how to use them.
Why Your Firm Needs First Aid Supplies
An office might seem like a relatively safe place, but accidents can happen anywhere. Cuts and scrapes are common, as are slip and fall accidents and even burns. Having a first aid kit readily available can allow employees to treat their injuries and return to work with little or no disruption. Over-the-counter medications for colds and pain can help employees carry on with their jobs instead of needing to leave and go home. If a visitor is injured in your office, a member of the staff can provide care.
Quickly tending to injuries can prevent them from getting worse. A cut may not seem like a big deal, but if it is not properly cleaned and covered with a bandage, it could become infected or lead to significant blood loss and require a trip to the hospital. An employee could miss valuable time at work and might even file a worker’s compensation claim.
Another concern is liability. If a client got injured at your office and you didn’t have a first aid kit available, the individual’s condition could worsen before an ambulance arrived. If serious complications arose that could have been prevented if your office had had a first aid kit, the injured person could sue your firm.
How to Stock and Manage First Aid Supplies
A first aid kit should include supplies that can be used to treat a range of injuries. At a minimum, your kit should have a variety of bandages, gauze, supplies to clean wounds, adhesive tape, scissors, tweezers, latex gloves, and a splint. If your office is not located close to a hospital, an automated external defibrillator (AED) could save the life of a person experiencing a cardiac event. If you decide to get an AED, make sure all staff members know where it is and receive formal training so they know how to use it correctly.
A first aid kit should be in a place that is easily accessible to all employees. It should be protected from extreme temperatures and water. Assign a person the task of monitoring the amount of supplies in the first aid kit on a regular basis and reordering supplies as necessary.
Protect Employees and Visitors
Accidents and injuries can happen at any workplace, even a quiet law or accounting firm. Be prepared for the unexpected by having one or more first aid kits available. Respond Systems offers fully stocked first aid kits and cabinets to suit firms of all sizes. Place your order today.