It’s not something we like to think will happen, but sometimes accidents, injuries and sickness at work can't be avoided. As an employer you need to have measures in place to respond to these things, and having a well-equipped first aid kit is the perfect starting point.
Under Health and Safety in Employment Regulations 1995, it’s a legal requirement for workplaces in New Zealand to provide first aid facilities, and to have procedures in place for dealing with emergencies.
Having a first aid kit filled with the essentials is obviously the right and legally abiding thing to do, but it’s also a smart business choice. Using the kit’s equipment can help reduce the severity of an injury and therefore lessen the impact to business productivity and the cost of employees taking time off to recover.
So, you know you need a first aid kit, but what does it need to contain? Below we will look at some of the essentials.
Need to stock up your first aid kit? Find everything you need to keep your team safe here.
The items you have in your first aid kit should take into account the type of business you operate and types of hazards in your workplace. In saying this, there are still some essentials that every first aid kit should carry – which you can add to with things that are specific to your work circumstances.
first aid manual giving general guidance on treating injuries
individually wrapped moist wipes or saline solution
individually wrapped sterile adhesive dressings (varying sizes), appropriate to the type of work (dressings may need to be of a detectable type for food handlers)
two sterile eye pads
individually wrapped triangular bandages (sterile)
clasps or safety pins (to tie bandages)
stretch bandages
medium sized, individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
large sterile individually wrapped unmedicated wound dressings
two pairs of disposable gloves
a resuscitation mask.
Need to work out what else you might need in your first aid kit? The Department of Labour supply a great Workplace First Aid Needs Assessment checklist that can help you figure it out.
The number of first aid kits that you have available at your workplace really depends on the size of your business and the vehicles and equipment that are involved. The Department of Labour recommends that there be at least one kit for every 50 employees.
Location-wise, a general rule is that there should be one full basic kit in each area where people are working – so at least one kit on each floor of a multilevel building and a first aid kit in every work vehicle. They need to be clearly identified as first aid kits, and marked with a white cross on a green background.
Primepac offer a great and comprehensive range of first aid kits – from smaller kits ideal for small businesses through to jumbo kits suitable for larger factory environments.
Primepac also provide kits designed for specific hazards or environments, like vehicles (designed to meet OSH regulations relating to having a first aid kit and fire extinguisher in every company vehicle – includes high quality components with a heavy duty fire extinguisher) or restaurants (burn care first aid kits which contain Burnaid gel sachets that cools and soothes for fast relief).
And if you need to restock your first aid kit, Primepac are your go-to for first aid supplies.