In an effort to communicate the vital role that standards play in daily life, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publishes snapshots of the diverse standards initiatives undertaken in the global and national standards arena, many of which are performed by ANSI members and ANSI-accredited standards developers. Two of the latest selections follow:
Workplace First Aid Kits
According to the U.S. Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA), approximately three million nonfatal workplace injuries and illnesses are reported by private industry employers each year. As such, OSHA requires adequate first aid supplies be readily available to treat minor injuries that occur in the workplace. In order for employers to fulfill OSHA first aid kit requirements, a recently revised ANS has been released by the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) providing minimum specifications for the contents and performance of first aid kits.
ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2015, Minimum Requirements for Workplace First Aid Kits and Supplies, establishes performance requirements for first aid kits and their supplies that are intended for use in various work environments. Designating the assortment of items and quantity of each item is based on the anticipated number of users intended to be served by each first aid kit, as well as the complexity of the work environment and level of hazards. First aid kit containers are classified by portability, ability to be mounted, resistance to water and corrosion, and impact resistance. ANSI/ISEA Z308.1-2015 is intended to be used in conjunction with ANSI/ISEA Z358.1, Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment.
ISEA, an ANSI-accredited standards developer and organizational member, is non-profit organization dedicated to personal protective equipment and technologies - equipment and systems that enable people to do work in hazardous environments. Its member companies are world leaders in the design, manufacture, testing and application of protective clothing and equipment used in factories, construction sites, hospitals and clinics, farms, schools, laboratories, emergency response, and in the home.