First Aid
First aid for the worst-case scenario: Emergency preparedness in the workplace
Fortunately, serious accidents occur much less frequently in companies than minor injuries. Skin injuries and small wounds can be initially treated with materials from first aid kits and first aid boxes.
When should I use an eye wash?
The eye wash solution is used to remove or flush out foreign objects in cases of mechanical injuries (metal and wood splinters, dirt, dust, etc.) as well as in cases of chemical burns caused by alkalis, acids, and other chemicals (solvents, oils, etc.).
Which eye wash should I use – the blue or the green one?
The difference between the blue bottle (pH neutral) and the green bottle (eye wash) lies in the content.
The pH neutral solution in the blue bottle is a sterile 4.9% phosphate buffer solution used for neutralizing accidents involving acids and alkaline substances. The eye wash in the green bottle, on the other hand, is a sterile 0.9% sodium chloride solution used to flush out foreign bodies, dust, etc., from the eye. In the case of accidents with acids and alkalis, the eye wash should also be used for continued flushing on the way to medical treatment after the initial flushing with pH neutral.
| EYE EMERGENCY PLAN | |||
| 1) Identify the hazardous substance | 2) Choose the correct bottle and rinsing solution | 3) Continue rinsing | 4) Rinse as instructed |
| FOREIGN BODIES (e.g., dust, dirt, wood and metal splinters) | Eye wash solution | Eye wash solution | Continue rinsing until foreign bodies are flushed out |
| ACIDS | pH Neutral | Eye wash solution | Rinse eyes with pH Neutral until the bottle is empty. Continue rinsing with the eye wash solution until medical treatment is available. |
| ALKALIS | pH Neutral | Eye wash solution | Rinse eyes with pH Neutral until the bottle is empty. Continue rinsing with the eye wash solution until medical treatment is available. |
| OTHER CHEMICALS (e.g., solvents and oils) | Eye wash solution | Eye wash solution | Rinse eyes until the uncomfortable sensation is no longer felt. Continue rinsing with the eye wash solution until medical treatment is available. |
How do I use an eye wash?
Refer to the step-by-step guide below on how to use the eye wash correctly.
Do I need a small or a large first aid kit?
Whether you need a small or a large first aid kit depends largely on the type of your business. For example, a construction site requires more first aid kits due to the significantly higher risk of injury compared to an office environment.
Two small first aid kits replace one large first aid kit.
| Business type | Number of employees | Small kit | Large kit |
| Administrative and commercial businesses | 1-50 | 1 | 0 |
| 51-300 | - | 1 | |
| 301-600 | - | 2 | |
| Every additional 300 | - | 2 | |
| Manufacturing, processing businesses, and comparable institutions | 1-20 | 1 | - |
| 21-100 | - | 1 | |
| 101-200 | - | 2 | |
| Every additional 100 | - | 2 | |
Construction sites |
1-10 | 1 | - |
| 11-50 | - | 1 | |
| 51-100 | - | 2 | |
| Every additional 50 | - | 2 |
How do the small and large first aid kits differ?
A small first aid kit according to DIN 13157 includes the following: eye compresses, finger bandages, scissors, triangular bandages, adhesive bandages, dressing packages, disposable gloves, dressing towels, cold compresses, nonwoven wipes, compresses, wound dressings, fixation bandages, plaster strips, fingertip bandages, emergency blanket, plastic bags, first aid brochure, and contents list.
A large first aid kit according to DIN 13169 contains double the amount of the small first aid kit.
Did you know that the distance between the first aid kit and your workplace can be no more than 100 meters?
According to the regulations of the Verwaltungs-Berufsgenossenschaft (VBG) for workplaces, the distance from a first aid kit to a permanent workplace can be a maximum of 100 meters. Additionally, no more than one floor may be between the workplace and the first aid kit.