Archive for the ‘First Aid’ Category

Thermometers: A First Aid Kit Essential

Temperature is one of your body’s vital signs, and a significant change in your temperature may indicate illness, or signal that you require immediate medical attention. The most accurate way of checking your temperature is by using thermometers.

Infrared Thermometer

An infrared thermometer is equipped with an electronic trigger lock for continuous measurement.

Thermometers are an essential part of your first aid kit and having the right thermometer is crucial. However because of the numerous options available, selecting the right thermometer can be overwhelming. Here are some of the most common types of body thermometers.

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Missing a Beat: What Most People Do Not Know about AEDs

Sudden cardiac arrest kills about 300,000 people each year. That number persists even though an Automated External Defibrillator (AED) is available for first aid.

AED Defibrillator

Defibrillators increase the survival chance of those in cardiac arrest.

As Mark Harris pointed out in The Shocking Truth about Defibrillators, the death rate by cardiac arrest has not decreased in the past 20 years. So, what do responders keep doing wrong? Here are some of the important things most people miss about AEDs: (more…)

Is Your Workplace Ready for Flu Season?

Influenza Protection Kit

Flu survival kits protect your workplace during an influenza outbreak.

It’s that time of the year again. Winter is coming and so are cold and flu outbreaks.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 5 to 20 percent of U.S. residents get influenza each year. In fact, businesses lose some $10.4 billion each year in direct costs and more in productive losses.

A flu pandemic in your workplace can cause your business to run on a skeleton staff for long periods of time, leading to more losses. Follow these tips to prevent a cold and flu outbreak in your workplace.

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Are You Ready? How to Prepare for Emergencies

Accidents can happen in your workplace anytime. You can experience something as minor as a paper cut or as major as an explosion. If accidents occur in your facility, are you prepared?

Emergency Preparedness Products

Emergency preparedness products complete your company’s exit, fire and evacuation plan.

September is National Preparedness Month, which is observed annually since its inception in 2004. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 3,000 organizations across the country will hold various activities to promote emergency preparedness.

Your company can support this campaign in your own way. Follow these steps from Ready to create your own office emergency plan. (more…)

First Things First: Your Company’s First Aid Program

In the midst of your company trainings, seminars, or the typical workday routine, an occupational accident may occur. You or your employees cannot forecast when and where an emergency situation will actually take place. With this in mind, you have to ensure your employees are armed with the training and materials they need to face such an undesirable incident. And because safety should be your company’s top priority, you must prepare a well-planned first aid program.

First Aid Kit

First aid kits should be readily available and easily located in your workplace.

First aid is the initial quick remedy you can give your injured or ill employees. This may involve treating a wound or clearing an air passage. According to the American College of Emergency Physicians, the initial minutes after an injury are usually the most critical. Knowing how to administer first aid sometimes acts as the thin line separating life and death.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), under standard 29 CFR 1910.151(b), requires you to provide your employees with adequate first aid supplies. Here are several guidelines you should consider when designing your first aid program. (more…)

Emedco extends its line of first aid products

First Aid Kit

First aid and eyewash products provide essential, first-response treatment for on-the-job accidents and emergencies. Emedco currently offers a wide assortment of first aid kits, cabinets and signs; eyewash and emergency shower stations; and now, a whole lot more!

Some of our new First Aid Products include:

  • Specialty First Aid Kits: We now offer a variety of specialty kits for all types of unique first aid needs, such as a Trauma First Aid Kit, Welder’s First Aid Kit, Contractor First Aid Kit, Auto First aid Kit, and more.
  • ANSI First Aid Kits: Ensure you are in compliance with ANSI and OSHA first aid standards, while ensuring quick and efficient injury treatment.
  • CPR Kits & Stations: CPR Kits and Stations provide all of the essentials needed for a CPR emergency in your facility, including face shields, mouth-to-mouth barriers and other items.
  • Medicinals & Ointments: Choose from generic and name brand pain relievers, stomach aids, cold and cough relief medicines, and ointments to treat injuries and illness symptoms.
  • Bandages, Gauze & Tape: With a larger selection of brands and sizes, you can find exactly what you need to clean, treat and protect wounds and injuries. 
  • Eyewash & Shower Units: Meet ANSI Z358.1-2009 standards with our new eyewashes, including pressurized portable eyewashes, drench hose sprays and pedestal mount eye/face washes.

To view our full line of First Aid Products, visit www.emedco.com.

What type of eyewash unit is best for your workplace?

Does your facility need an eyewash station?

OSHA requires that any place where a person’s eyes or body can be exposed to corrosive materials must have a suitable method or facility for drenching or flushing the eyes and body. This faciilty must be within the work area for immediate use if there is an injury. There are also certain industries that must include an eye wash station in every single facility.  (To view the full regulations, visit OSHA’s web site).

So, if you do need an eyewash in your facility, what type of eyewash unit is best for you? Here are a few of the options you have to choose from:

Faucet Mount Eyewash: These types of units attach directly to goose neck and standard faucets to turn them into eyewash units. The attachment delivers a concentrated stream of cold water to the eyes without the need to install new plumbing. They can be used with any sink or basin so they are a great no-hassle option.

Counter-Top Mount Eyewash: Counter-top eyewash units attach directly to any table or counter top. Some can swivel and therefore can be easily used from any angle. Like many eyewash units, they deliver aerated sprays to flush the eyes and face.

Wall Mount Eyewash: This is a great option if you do not have a faucet in an area where you need an eyewash unit. You can simply attach it to the building’s plumbing system.  They do not take up a lot of space, but they are a permanent installation. You can buy them in plastic, stainless steel and other materials.

Portable Eyewash: You can take a portable eyewash unit with you anywhere. This is great for non-permanent job sites or in places where sinks and/or plumbing systems are not available. They work just like any other eyewash unit, gently spraying water on the eyes and face. You can even store the water in the portable eyewash units for up to six month  if there is an anti-bacterial additive in the eyewash solution.

Combination Eyewash and Drench Hose: These provide flexible use for any industrial area. In addition to a standard eyewash unit, this system includes a drench hose that can be used to direct water to the affected area not only on the face, but any part of the body.

Shower/Eyewash System: Depending on the brand, eyewash/shower systems can have a variety of different features and capabilities. The main benefit of this type of station is that it can be used to rinse the entire body in the event of an accident, not just the eyes and face. It’s a great option for any facility where an accident involving a corrosive substance could affect the entire body.