Having at least one first aid kit at the workplace is fairly common. In fact, most companies are required by law to have one. However, even the best first aid kit is useless if no one knows where to find it. And unfortunately, that is a real problem. New data just released reveals that the majority of UK workers don’t know where to find the first aid kit at work.
According to HR News, 83% of workers in offices, factories, and other workplaces did not know where the on-site first aid kit was located. Not only is that surprising, but it is also alarming. There are times when proper first aid must be rendered within the first few minutes of an accident to prevent serious injury or death. Valuable time is lost when workers have to go in search of a first aid kit.
There are some other numbers from the study that are equally disturbing. We will look at those in due course. For now, though, workers not knowing where to find the first aid kit is troubling enough. Let us address that point in light of the first aid needs assessment.
First aid needs assessment
Health and Safety Executive (HSE) guidance stipulate that employers should carry out a first aid needs assessment in order to determine what actions should be undertaken to provide proper first aid to employees and guests. Part of that assessment includes looking at first aid kits.
According to Seton, a company that specialises in health and safety equipment for the workplace, not all workplace first aid kits are the same. Seton first aid kits meet a variety of needs across almost every industry. However, some industries require more specialised kits, so a first aid needs assessment would identify such specialised needs.
The point of this is to say that a first aid needs assessment would also dictate key locations throughout the workplace where employers can locate their first aid kits. The assessment would dictate educating workers so that they know where to find them in an emergency.
First aid kit contents
Moving on, the study in question also revealed that 92% of UK workers cannot describe the contents of a typical first aid kit beyond bandages and plasters. Workers apparently don’t know that first aid kits also include things like scissors, splints, pain relievers, medical tape, etc. Why does this matter? Because not knowing what a first aid kit contains might prevent a worker from seeking it out in the event of an emergency.
If you do not know what is in a first aid kit, how likely are you to go find one in the moments immediately following a serious accident? Most people will look around the immediate area for anything that might help. As for the first aid kit, it remains an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ sort of thing.
The HSE says that a basic first aid kit for the workplace should include, at a minimum:
- general first aid guidance leaflets
- individually wrapped plasters
- individually wrapped bandages and wound dressings
- safety pins
- sterile pads
- disposable gloves.
Again, this is a list of contents for a basic first aid kit. Most workplaces need something a bit more comprehensive in nature. The more dangerous the work environment, the larger the first aid kit should be. A larger size accommodates the need for additional first aid supplies.
Lack of first aid training
One last statistic from the study reveals that just 1% of UK workers know about first aid or have been through a formal training course. This statistic is just as alarming as the other two. Why? Because training is key to preventing additional injury and death following an accident.
The whole point of first aid is to render immediate aid with the goal of not allowing an already serious incident from escalating. Past studies have shown that first aid properly rendered prevents further injuries and saves lives. As such, undergoing first aid training is one of the simplest and most effective things average citizens can do to help one another.
First aid training courses are available throughout the UK. They are offered by local fire brigades, the British Red Cross, and a number of other charitable and for-profit organisations. There are entire companies dedicated to providing first aid training in the workplace. The point here is that there is no shortage of training opportunities. Any company that wanted to provide training to workers could do so fairly easily.
In the event of a first aid incident at work, could you quickly find and deploy the first aid kit? If not, do you even know the contents of your workplace first aid kits? These are questions all of us should be asking ourselves. The answers should motivate us to learn as much as we can about workplace first aid so that we are prepared in the event of an emergency.
