A first aid kit should be prepared for every food preparation area. This is because the kitchen is a high-risk environment where there are many potential hazards and injuries that can happen. 

The kit should be prepared before any cooking starts, and it should be checked regularly for expiration dates of all food items, medications and supplies.

The first aid kit must have: Bandages, Gauze Pads, Sterile Dressings, Medical Tape, Scissors, Tweezers, Antibiotic Creams, Burn Treatments, Latex Gloves and Hand Sanitisers.

Bandages

Bandages are made of gauze and a sticky adhesive material. The bandages in the food industry are blue and have metallic threads interwoven into the bandage. The bandages are blue so it is easier to spot if they end up in the food. The reason for metallic threads is that in the food production factories the machines can pick up the metal in the bandages and let the employees know.

Bandages are typically made out of gauze, a sticky adhesive and an elastic. Gauze is a strong, woven material that is often used for medical purposes because it does not pull away from the wound. 

The sticky adhesive ensures that the bandage stays in place during healing and the elastic ensures that the bandage doesn’t get too tight or too loose.

Gauze Pads

Gauze pads are strips that have been wrapped around in layers until it becomes a square shape then covered with the adhesive.

The gauze pad is used to cover wounds and stop bleeding. It is usually placed over a wound and held on by either tape or adhesive strips. Gauze pads are often used in emergency situations when a bandage is not available.

Sterile Dressings

Sterile dressing is perfect for treating a wound or laceration.

Sterile dressings are a type of bandage that doesn’t need to be removed before it is disposed of. They are commonly made with gauze and a thin non-adherent film that creates a seal over the wound or laceration. Sterile dressings can be applied over other types of bandages and adhesive tapes, as these may not be sterile but they help protect the wound from infection

Medical Tape

Tape is used to hold bandages in place until they heal.

Health professionals use medical tape to hold bandages and other dressings in place until they heal. The adhesive on the tape ensures that the bandages stay in place and do not come off, which is important for protecting a wound.

Scissors

Scissors are an essential part of any first aid kit. They can be used to cut bandages and other materials needed for a variety of injuries as well as tape.

Tweezers

Tweezers are a common medical instrument that is used to remove a splinter from the skin. Tweezers are usually made of metal and have long, thin handles and sharp tips. They can be used to remove objects such as splinters, slivers, ticks or foreign bodies from the skin.

Antibiotic Creams

Antibiotic creams are used to treat mild skin infections. They work by killing the bacteria that causes the infection.

Antibiotic creams are applied to the skin, usually in a thin layer, as they can be rubbed into the skin better than pills or tablets.

After applying an antibiotic cream, it is recommended to wash your hands thoroughly before touching anything else.

Burn Treatments

Burn dressings are designed to reduce burn injuries by cooling down the skin and provide a moist environment for healing. As such, they contain a scientifically formulated cooling gel and use medical-grade nonwoven pads. The product is not adhesive, so it does not need to be removed before bandaging. The dressings are soaked in a water-based / water-soluble, bacteriostatic and biodegradable gel and sterilised to ensure a contamination-free atmosphere for emergency treatment of burns.

Latex Gloves

Disposable gloves are an inexpensive and easy to store product to keep in the workplace. They protect workers from the spread of germs by keeping hands and materials clean. They can also be used when dealing with a cut or open wound to avoid infection.

Hand Sanitisers

Hand sanitisers are a necessary item in any kitchen. They help reduce the spread of germs and keep food safe to eat. The right type of sanitiser can be found for any budget, and should always be accessible for all employees to use.

These supplies can and more can be ordered online through our on First Aid Supplies store.

The Importance Of A First Aid Kit

A first aid kit can help you stay safe in the workplace by minimising the consequences of accidents like scrapes, small cuts, heat exhaustion etc. In workplaces with a complete first aid kit, smaller cuts from accidents may only require light treatment.

If a first aid kit is not available, there is a risk that an employer would have to deal with serious consequences such as heavy bleeding, shock, and various long-term effects. This can be a hazard for your employees and can easily lead to workers compensation claims, costing you more money.

Train Your Staff

A first aid kit is only useful if staff know how to use it properly. This is why it’s crucial to train staff in how to use it. Whenever an injury occurs, the employees should know what to do first. New employees should be made aware of health and safety procedures as part of their induction, and existing staff should be kept up to date. 

Welcome To Medichem

Welcome to Medichem. We have developed this website to provide the public with high quality, affordable first aid supplies. 

Our website consists of a wide-variety of content relating to first-aid kits and supplies. Our helpful blogs will keep you up to date on the most current information and advice around health and safety requirements and new products available as well as providing industry specific insights from health and safety managers and pre-hospital care professionals who between them have hundreds of years of experience.

If you are looking to restock your office first aid kit or ensure that your sports first aid kits at your club contain all of the essential products that you need, Medichem.ie is the site for you.

View our full range of first-aid products on our online shop. Do you have a specific question or query? Contact Medichem today. A member of our team will be more than happy to help.