We have something like a risk assessment meeting every month where several department heads and Deputies attend to report on observed risks, potential liability issues, etc. The issue of first aid kits came up at the last one. The issue is: we don’t have any mounted anywhere in any of our buildings.
One of the Deputies spoke up saying that we went through this last year and apparently we’re following some OPM guideline that says first aid kits can’t contain any kind of medicine, salves, antiseptic wipes, ointments, creams, or anything that could be considered as a type of medicinal treatment.
Apparently, the possibility that one in ten million (or whatever) people might have a rash as a result of applying Bacitracin is too great a liability. So what’s the answer? Let’s have NO FIRST AID WHATSOEVER!
I answered back, suggesting that having no first aid kits surely must expose us to greater potential liability than somebody being alergic to an alcohol wipe. This resulted in the Chair asking the Deputy to follow up with OPM/OSHA/whoever to make sure we’re actually following some federally established guideline.
So while I wait for next month’s meeting, I thought I’d poll the doperhood to see if anybody knows of such an OPM or OSHA guideline.
I don’t know how things are where you are, but where I’ve worked it was explained to me that OTC first aid medications, like analgesics, could be made available to employees in the first aid kits, but they couldn’t be dispensed by the employer–the employee had to take what he felt he needed on his own. From what I gathered, this absolved the employer of any responsibility.
I would say that the idea is crap as an absolute statement. Google “OSHA first aid kit” or something like it and the regulations are on-line.
If you want some short-hand evidence, there are OSHA approved kits like this one that contain some of the supposedly forbidden substances. I have worked in labs and warehouses and regular offices and they all surely had large first aid kits and needed them on occasion. Maybe there is a kernel of truth in there somewhere but it isn’t true as a blanket rule.
This doesn’t address the question of medications, such as aspirin. In fact, the OSHA guidelines don’t specify contents at all, leaving the question of what is “adequate” open. There is also the ANSI 2308.1-1998 guideline, which does specify minimum first aid kit contents, as detailed here. I haven’t found anything specifically addressing OTC medications, however. It’s very possible (and even likely) that this varies greatly by jurisdiction.
OK, say somebody tries to sue a business for making iodine swabs available in their first aid kits that were applied to him and he turned out to be alergic to them. Would this person likely have no legal standing or what?
There is still the question of whether or not there is any good reason for a business not to have first aid kits available. Are there any potantial liability issues?