OSHA/ANSI Mandates & The Smart Compliance Solution

Stay Compliant, Stay Safe, Stay in Business 

As we continue to reopen our places of business, health and safety in the workplace are more important than ever and common workplace injuries and illnesses often go mostly unmentioned. Your business cannot afford to ignore everyday workplace accidents and it needs to keep stocked with first aid supplies. In fact, it isn’t just a good idea to maintain a safe workplace, it’s the law. 

OSHA and ANSI, Explained

You may have heard the term “OSHA violation,” but what does that really mean? Let’s take a closer look at the facts to better understand the difference between OSHA and ANSI. 

OSHA 

The Occupational Safety and Health Act; health and safety legislation enforced by the Department of Labor. OSHA was signed into law in 1970 as a response to public outcry regarding the seemingly rising rates of injury and accidental death in the workplace. 

ANSI

The American National Standards Institute, responsible for creating and distributing new guidelines and requirements designed to keep employees safe. ANSI is a non-profit organization that develops standards for “products, services, processes, systems, and personnel.” 

Essentially, ANSI creates the standards and OSHA enforces them. And if OSHA says that “adequate first aid supplies shall be readily available” in the workplace, the standards from ANSI will tell you exactly what “adequate” means. 

Importance and Benefits of Compliance 

The implementation of OSHA created a significant change in business culture by prioritizing employee safety and stocking essential health supplies. By maintaining compliance with the law, companies began to see a sharp decrease in on-the-job accidents and injuries. This decline reduced the amount of time and money spent resolving accidents and illnesses, creating financial benefits for companies that followed the new law. So, OSHA/ANSI compliance isn’t just the law, it’s sound business sense. 

History of Creating First Aid Standards 

The newest ANSI standards are actually the sixth revision of standards originally published in 1978. These standards were created from voluntary industry consensus and are intended to keep businesses stocked with the materials needed to treat the common injuries and sudden illnesses most often seen in the workplace by standardizing the content and accessibility of first aid kits.  

First Aid Kit Classifications 

Class A and B First Aid Kits are designed for workplace use.  

Class A kits are stocked with common items used to treat the most common workplace injuries.  

Class B kits keep you prepared in more high-risk environments. 

 First aid kit containers are classified by: 

• Portability 
• Ability to be Mounted 
• Water Resistance  
• Corrosion Resistance 
• Impact Resistance 

Changes

Here are some of the most recent ANSI Standard changes made to Class A and B First Aid Kits. 

Foil Blanket 

This surprisingly useful item can treat hypothermia, be used as a windbreaker, or a waterproof wrap. One foil blanket is now required in every Class A and Class B workplace first aid kit. 

Tourniquets and Bleeding Control 

Every Class B kit now carries a Windlass Tourniquet used to stop blood loss. There are also additional details available to help you select the Bleeding Control Kits appropriate for your workplace. 

Enhanced Workplace Hazard Assessment

This more detailed tool can be used to assess potential hazards and identify risk in the workplace. The assessment also helps you in selecting the appropriate supplemental first aid supplies relevant to your industry, work environment, remote worksite, or vehicle. 

Smart Compliance 

Keeping your workplace up to date with safety standards shouldn’t have to be a full-time job. That’s where Smart Compliance comes in. Smart Compliance first aid kits from First Aid Only (FAO) are available in a wide range of varieties and sizes, perfect for any industry. Smart Compliance first aid kits come stocked with OSHA required materials and medicines. When the standards change by, say, requiring the addition of a foil blanket to all first aid kits, Smart Compliance is there with the new materials you need to stay safe and stay compliant. 

Why is Smart Compliance better than traditional van delivery?  

 Smart Compliance: 

• Reduces Number of Non-customers Visiting Your Business 
• Eliminates Overstocking 
• Reduces Waste 

By ordering supplies that are running low you’ll never worry about running out of materials before your next scheduled service visit, and some businesses report saving up to 50% on their yearly first aid spending.