An office environment is very different than an industrial environment in more ways than one. The medical safety supplies found in a typical first aid kit stocked for an office is proof of it. Any first aid kits should carry the items that are most often used under the circumstances; in an office you are more likely to find things like paper cuts and burns from hot coffee than anything else. The office first aid kit is usually heavily stocked with OTC medications and small instruments such as tweezers and scissors.
The items that are normally found in the kit include bandages in different sizes, alcohol, hydrogen peroxide and burn ointment as well as cotton swabs and adhesive tape. With these items most small abrasions, cuts and burns can be attended to. All kits of medical safety supplies regardless of where they are kept or used should contain a booklet on first aid which can be had from the American Red Cross.
From a “medicine” point of view, every first aid kit should be complete with various pain killers starting with aspirin and ibuprofen. A bottle of sinus medication that does not induce drowsiness is a good idea as are throat lozenges, antacids and effervescent pain relievers.
Although not necessarily kept in the first aid kit, for the comfort of female employees there should be a box, probably kept in the ladies toilet that contains sanitary napkins and tampons.
The small items noted are all that is required for day to day incidents, headaches, simple abrasions and cuts. Although no one wants it to happen, a heart attack can strike at any moment and one of the very important medical safety supplies to have on hand in the office is a portable defibrillator. It is important that someone in the office is trained in the use of this piece of apparatus as well as being trained in CPR. In many companies, a willing employee is sent for training at the local Red Cross, it is well worth the effort if the result will be the saving of a life.
Many companies are asking their employees if they will complete a medical history which is confidential and kept with the people in HR. This is an excellent idea as one never knows when an unknown medical condition such as a serious allergic attack may strike; access to the health history can help in getting the proper assistance as quickly as possible. For more information, visit Express Medical Supplies.
