No matter what your line of business, and no matter how well you safeguard your facility against injuries, they can and do happen. And in those times, it is important to be able to offer your employees access to medical services and first aid. Having medical services and first aid available is also important to OSHA, which regulates this in Standard 1910.151.

In this Standard, OSHA states that, “The employer shall ensure the ready availability of medical personnel for advice and consultation on the matters of plant health.” (1910.151 [a]) For many employers, this requirement will be met by a local hospital, infirmary, or clinic. But in the event your facility is not covered by one of these three facilities, it is mandatory for an employee to “be adequately trained to render first aid.” (1910.151 [b])

The regulation also states that first aid supplies must be available on site. This common sense requirement not only helps to protect employees in the event of an injury or an emergency, it also helps to protect business continuity. For many employees, a basic first aid supply will suffice, and allow them to return to work, rather than leave the facility to find a local infirmary, hospital, or clinic.

If you have any questions about this standard, or would like help in ensuring you are compliant, please contact us so that we can assist you. And if you have anything to add about the importance of readily available medical services and first aid, please leave a comment.

Access to basic medical services and first aid is important in any place of business. It can be a way to prevent a minor injury from becoming something major, and can help prevent a serious injury from becoming disastrous. Any way you look at it, first aid and quick access to basic medical services is of paramount importance to keeping employees safe.

As such, OSHA created Standard 1910.151, which governs medical services and first aid. This standard states that a person must be “adequately trained to render first aid” if there are no infirmaries, clinics, or hospitals in “near proximity to the workplace.” This person must be trained and employed by the employer, and must be available to any employee who faces potential injury at work. The standard goes on to state that “adequate” first aid supplies must be available to the staff.

In addition, this standard governs eye flush and shower devices used in facilities where there is a risk of exposure to injurious corrosive materials. These devices must be readily available to the staff in the event of an accident, and must be suitable to properly cleanse the victim. If you have not recently audited your devices, it might be a good idea to do so, as these devices are not often used, but are extremely important when needed.

If in reading any of the above guidelines you were struck by the vagueness of the standard, don’t worry – you’re not alone. This standard leaves a lot of room for interpretation and has nearly 30 standard interpretation responses listed. And for a standard as small as this one, it makes it one of the least clear standards currently in existence.

So, if you have any questions about the specifics of your facility, please contact us so that we can help ensure you are up to code. And if you have anything to add about the importance of quick access to medical services and first aid, please leave a comment.

In the event of an emergency or workplace accident, it is important that employees have quick access to the necessary tools and personnel to help with the problem. For many workplace injuries, quick attention from a knowledgeable professional can be the difference between a minor injury and a serious one. Because of this, OSHA created Standard 1910.151 which governs access to medical personnel for advice and consultation on matters of job site health.

For larger organizations, the expectation is an onsite infirmary or onsite specialists available to help with emergencies and workplace questions. In lieu of that, a nearby infirmary, clinic, or hospital is required. These steps will ensure that adequate and speedy care can be taken to help an injured associate. If none of these other options are available, then it is up to the owner to train a person or persons how to administer first aid. Further, the company is required to carry first aid supplies. It is also the responsibility of the employer to offer eye and body flushes to employees who handle injurious corrosive materials.

The easiest way to ensure you are up to code with Standard 1910.151 is through a third party safety audit or a direct consultation with a qualified third party. Remember, this standard is not only important because failure to comply might result in fines; failure to comply means that an onsite injury will not be properly managed and serious injuries can result.

If you have any questions on Standard 1910.151 or third party safety audits, please contact us. And if you have anything to add about medical service and first aid requirements, please leave a comment.