No matter your industry, it is essential that you are prepared for both minor injuries and medical emergencies. You cannot afford to take workplace health and safety lightly. By implementing first aid training protocols and providing easy access to first aid kits, you can quickly react and ensure your employees’ health and safety whilst on the job.
Whether you’re in construction or hospitality, employees are exposed to a range of hazards including slips, trips and falls along with exposure to toxic and corrosive materials. It is critical that you have a well-stocked first aid kit from Checkpoint Group at the ready.
The essential supplies in your first aid kit
Accidents can happen at any moment, so first aid kits should be placed at key easily accessible points around your workplace. You will want to consider each specific work area and the types of hazards present, and this will enable you to pick the most appropriate first aid kit for the job.
Every good workplace first aid kit should contain, at the very minimum, the following items:
- Antiseptic
- Cold and warm packs
- Adhesive tape/bandage
- Burn dressing (gel soaked)
- Breathing barrier
- Skin and eye wash
- Face masks
- Antibiotics
- Hand sanitiser
- Trauma pad
- Tourniquet
- Scissors
- Sterile Pad
- Splint
Different types of first aid kits
Wall mounted first aid kits are always a good option as they are highly visible and affordable, and contain all the basics needed to address minor injuries. It can also be very helpful to place a few bleed kits/trauma kits in areas such as break rooms or other frequently used rooms. You should also have a first aid kit operator – a large workplace softpack, which can be grabbed on the go and taken immediately to injured workers. For more hazardous environments, the First Aid First Responder Station would be a good choice as it contains a large amount of safety equipment as well as an alarm system, and it is mounted on a trolley for easy manoeuvrability.
There are various first aid equipment options to choose from; depending on the type of hazards present in the area, you may opt for:
- National compliant first aid kits
- Defibrillator
- Bleed kit/Trauma kit
- Eyewash kit
- CPR kit
- Oxygen kit
- Other custom items available
Other important first-aid considerations
In addition to having a fully stocked first aid kit, you should also ensure that you have appropriate facilities such as a dressing station and dedicated first aid room somewhere on the site. Remember, you will also need an appropriate route and method of transportation for injured workers needing to be taken to the first aid area.
It is also important to keep note of who has accessed your first aid kits and what items were used, so that replacements can be ordered as needed to keep the kit fully stocked at all times.
Education also plays a key role in injury prevention and management, so you should ensure your team has a comprehensive knowledge of the following:
- Risk minimisation strategies
- CPR
- How to treat fractures and strains
- Immobilising injured workers
- How to safely handle/transport injured workers
- How to quickly assess an injury and determine the best treatment option (e.g. treatment of burns, cuts, fractures etc.)
- How to apply a sling and dressing
Checkpoint Group – First aid solutions for the workplace
If you work in construction and are looking to enhance your site safety, Checkpoint Group welcomes you to browse the range of first aid kits and defibrillators. By ensuring easy access to first aid kits and equipping your employees with the knowledge to deal with emergency situations, you can improve treatment outcomes and demonstrate a commitment to health and safety in the workplace.
