Frequently asked questions on
OSHA and ANSI, and what you need to know about compliance...
OSHA:
Who is OSHA?
OSHA (Occupational Safety & Health Administration) is a sub-agency of
the US Department of Labor. It issues standards to segments of the work
force and polices these regulations with a staff of inspectors who make
periodic work site checks. The purpose of these standards is to insure
workplace safety. Fines are imposed if repeated infractions are noted.
What are OSHA's requirements
for a first aid kit?
Based on Federal OSHA Regulation Standard 1910.151.b: "Adequate first
aid supplies shall be readily available." This rule applies to
treatment of minor injuries that occur in the workplace.
What do I need to do to
ensure OSHA compliance?
You should be concerned with OSHA compliance on both a federal and state
level. Currently, 30 states follow the Federal OSHA regulations as stated
above, while 22 states follow a regulation that combines the Federal
standard and imposes an individualized state by state requirement. The
state standard can be reviewed on the Internet or by contacting your local
OSHA office. (need link information here)
Both Federal and State OSHA
regulations do include the 'non-mandatory' requirements that coincide with
ANSI's first aid kit regulations. As a company, we feel that eventually,
these agencies will adopt ANSI as part of their regulation.
Can First Aid Kit Company help me be
in compliance?
All First Aid Kit Company industrial first aid kits meet or exceed Federal OSHA
standards. Additionally, our line includes metal and plastic unitized kits
that meet or exceed Federal OSHA standards and exceed the new ANSI
requirements. For more information on the new ANSI standards see the
section below.
ANSI:
What is ANSI?
The American National Standards Institute publishes minimum standards of
quality for many items related to safety.
Do they have a minimum
content requirement for first aid?
Yes, to be ANSI compliant a first aid kit must have the required minimum
fill according to standard ANSI Z308.1-1998.
Is ANSI mandatory?
No, BUT there are 20 states that have adopted ANSI standards as their
state recommended requirements.
Why ANSI?
OSHA requires adequate first aid supplies to be available in the workplace
but they don't require any specific contents. By recommending a specific
fill, one will be guaranteed to find necessary items in an ANSI kit.
Does ANSI affect unitized
colors?
Yes, one of the most important parts of ANSI Z308.1-1998 is the
standardization of colors on unitized refills. Bandages, Antiseptics, Burn
Treatment, PPE and Misc items will each have their own color. This
standardization will make it easy to recognize product quickly in an
emergency.
For more information on OSHA or
ANSI, see our Useful Links page.
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