In a medical emergency, quick action is crucial. Some sources report that up to 150,000 lives are at risk in the UK every year due to a lack of first aid skills. A first aid kit alone won’t be able to perform CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation), but thousands of people die annually because those around them don’t have the knowledge, skills or confidence to act.
Around 693,000 people suffered a non-fatal injury at work in 2019/2020, resulting in a total of around 6.3 million working days lost. This highlights the importance of having the right equipment within easy reach.
What is a first aid kit?
An idea for first aid kits was born from a conversation between Robert Wood Johnson and the chief surgeon of the Denver & Rio Grande Railway in 1888.
He explained to Johnson that railroad construction injuries often occurred far from hospitals, so Johnson saw this as an opportunity and created the first commercial medical pouch first aid kit. Since those early railroad days, first aid kits have come a long way. It remains the same principle: having equipment at hand to help treat and save an injured or ill person until medical treatment arrives.
How should a first aid kit be stocked?
There’s no set rule for what to include in a first aid kit, but there are some basic items that are considered essential:
- Different shapes and sizes of sticking plasters.
- Different sizes and shapes of blister plasters.
- Different sizes of sterile gauze dressings.
- Bandages in the shape of triangles.
- Bandages made from crêpe.
- A pair of sterile eye dressings.
- Pins for safety.
- The tweezers.
- Wipes that are alcohol-free.
- Gloves that are disposable and sterile.
- The scissors.
- Tape with adhesive.
- Thermometer with digital display.
- There are creams for rashes, such as calendula cream.
Dressings that are sterile
First aid kits should include dressings since cuts, grazes, and other skin wounds are some of the most common reasons people use them.
First aid kits should contain both waterproof and fabric plasters in order to treat small grazes and cuts. Gel plasters are also available to treat blisters. In catering environments, blue plasters are also needed in first aid kits, depending on where it is located.
Dressings can be used when the wound is too wide for a plaster. They are highly absorbent and help to reduce bleeding by applying suitable pressure, also helping to prevent infection. Dressing pads affixed to bandages are great for first aid kits as they help keep the dressing part in its spot. Eye dressings made specifically for injured eyes can come with either an adhesive or a bandage for secure fastening.
The bandages
A first aid kit should include several types of bandages. Bandages are often the second most used item after dressings in a first aid kit.
Roll bandages are a great asset in times of injury, as they provide support, help reduce swelling, and hold dressings in place. They can be used to brace joints that may be sprained or broken, as well as create splints with other body parts or materials. You can find open-weave, conforming, supporting and self-adhesive versions of roll bandages. Utilizing these tools may offer temporary relief and protection while awaiting medical attention.
Triangular bandages: These bandages are essentially triangular pieces of cloth. They can be folded to make a bandage, but are most often used as slings when someone has injured their arm or shoulder. If wrapped in sterile packaging, they can also be used as a large dressing for burns or other wounds.
Tubigrip bandages are multipurpose tubular bandages used to support injured joints, including wrists, elbows, knees and ankles. They are elasticated and come in rolls that can be trimmed to fit.
