Develop a first aid safety plan that helps ensure all required equipment, signage, training programs and personnel are in place to respond to medical emergencies with our easy-to-use templates.
Medical Services and First Aid
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OSHA’s standard at 1910.151, Medical services and first aid, applies to all general industry employers, from offices to factories, even if a company has only one employee. If your company uses temps from a staffing agency, they are covered just like all other employees.
Requirements of the standard cover medical consultation, emergency medical care, first aid supplies, and emergency eyewashes and showers.
The J. J. Keller® SAFETY MANAGEMENT SUITE offers easy-to-use tools and how-to information to help your company develop a written first aid safety plan; train employees on how to respond to first aid and emergency situations; and ensure your first aid kits meet industry standards.
SIMPLIFY FIRST AID COMPLIANCE WITH OUR ROBUST TOOLS
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Conduct Employee Training
GET FREE SAFETY TRAINING >>Empower your employees with the knowledge they need to respond to first aid and emergency situations with classroom or self-paced online training.
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Access Ready-to-use Inspection Checklists
GET FREE CHECKLISTS >>Ensure compliance with handy checklists that cover OSHA's requirements so you don't miss anything.
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Track Incidents
GET FREE TRACKING >>Effectively track, analyze, and document incidents and injuries to help you respond promptly and take corrective actions.
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Ask Compliance Questions to Industry Experts
ASK A QUESTION >>Get direct access to our trusted team of in-house experts — acknowledged leaders in the safety, regulatory and compliance fields with over 500 years of combined experience — who are standing by to help answer your toughest compliance questions.
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Unlock Critical Compliance Guidance
ACCESS COMPLIANCE INFORMATION >>Discover how J. J. Keller® ezExplanations™ summaries help you more easily understand OSHA's medical and first aid requirements, and our FAQs clarify confusing compliance points.
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Frequently asked questions about First Aid
While OSHA supports and recommends the use of Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs), there is no current OSHA requirement to have automated external defibrillators (AEDs) at the worksite, unless the worksite is one belonging to the federal government.
There may be state requirements to have an AED on site, depending upon the type of facility or if the public can access the building. Check your state’s laws to be sure.
OSHA does not teach first aid courses or certify first aid training courses for instructors. In the United States, first aid training is primarily carried out through the American Red Cross which offers standard and advanced first aid courses via their local chapters. After completion of the course, and after successfully passing written and practical tests, trainees receive certification.
Retesting should be done annually for CPR and every three years for first aid.
Paragraph 29 CFR 1910.151(b) does not specifically address the placement of first aid kits and/or cabinets based on employee numbers, density, or geography. Therefore, it is the employer’s responsibility to assess the particular needs of the workplace and tailor first aid kits and their placement to the specific needs of the workplace.
The OSHA requirement at 1910.151(b) states, “In the absence of an infirmary, clinic, or hospital in near proximity to the workplace which is used for the treatment of all injured employees, a person or persons shall be adequately trained to render first aid.” OSHA also expects that adequate first-aid supplies shall be readily available.
While paragraph (b) calls for adequate training, it does not require an employer to designate any employee to render first aid. See the May 25, 2004, OSHA letter of interpretation.
The OSHA standards do not require first aid supplies to be located in a specific area. The standards only require that supplies be readily available. The employer must evaluate the potential hazards in the workplace, and plan first aid supplies, and their location, as appropriate.
