What Should Be in Your First Aid Kit?

Accidents happen quickly, and workers can get severe injuries from what seems like a minor incident. Your first aid kit needs to be fully stocked so you’re ready to deal with any injury.

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But what, exactly, do you need stock in your first aid kit?

What Should Be in Your First Aid Kit?

The full answer to this question depends on the risks your workers face. If you’re stocking a first aid kit for logging operations, for instance, you’ll need to make sure you’ve got enough supplies to deal with severe injuries from chainsaw accidents or crushing injuries from falling trees and tree limbs.

But no matter the type of work you’re doing, you need to stock some basic items to remain compliant. ANSI Z308.1 lists requirements for two types of first aid kits: Class A kits for common workplace injuries and Class B kits for workplaces with a higher risk of severe injury.

Class A First Aid Kit Requirements

Class A kits must contain:

16x adhesive bandages (1×3 inch)
2.5 yards of adhesive tape
10x antibiotic treatment application
10x antiseptic applications
Breathing barrier
4×4 inch gel-soaked burn dressing
10x burn treatment
Cold pack
2x eye covering
Eye wash
First aid guide
6x hand sanitizer
2 pairs of exam gloves
4 yards of roller bandage (2 inch wide)
Scissors
2x sterile pads (3×3 inch)
2x trauma pad (5×9 inch)
Triangular bandage (40x40x56 inch)

Class B First Aid Kit Requirements

Class B kits must contain:

50x adhesive bandages (1×3 inch)
2x adhesive tape (2.5 yards)
25x antibiotic treatment application
50x antiseptic applications
Breathing barrier
2x gel-soaked burn dressing (4×4 inch)
25x burn treatment
2x cold pack
2x eye covering
Eye wash
First aid guide
10x hand sanitizer
4 pairs of exam gloves
2x roller bandage (2 inches x 4 yards)
Roller bandage (3 inches x 4 yards
Scissors
Splint (4×24 inch)
4x sterile pads (3×3 inch)
Tourniquet
4x trauma pad (5×9 inch)
2x triangular bandage (40x40x56 inch)

What Should Not Be in Your First Aid Kit?

Many people believe that a first aid kit should be stocked with over-the-counter pain killers. That’s not a bad idea for your own personal first aid kit, but you should avoid including them in a workplace first aid kit.

The reason? Allergies and sensitivities. Some people have adverse reactions to certain medications or medicinal ingredients. To avoid any potential complications, it’s best to just leave them out of your kit. Workers can bring pain killers (or other over-the-counter or prescription medications) to work and take them at their own discretion.

Maintaining Your First Aid Kit

First aid kits need to be checked regularly and restocked as necessary.

Keep an inventory list and routinely compare the contents of the kit to the items on the list.

A monthly inspection of the first aid kit’s contents is usually sufficient to ensure that it remains well stocked, though it’s also a good idea to review the kit’s supply after any accident that required a lot of items from it.

Where Should Your First Aid Kit Be Stored?

In emergency situations, the workers or supervisors administering first aid must be able to have quick access to the supplies they need. As such, you should store your first aid kit as close to the worksite as practical. Make sure they are at an easily accessible height and without any obstructions in the way.

If you have a large worksite, you should consider keeping multiple first aid kits so one is always within close reach.