New OSHA (194.07) First Aid Guidelines…

How do OSHA guidelines affect work comp premiums and insurance claims?  Here is a little detail on why first aid reportables can make all the difference….

First Aid or Recordable? New OSHA guidelines…..
Some workers’ compensation injuries are of such a minor nature that the law permits the employer to treat or refer for treatment of these injuries and pay for them privately rather than through the workers’ compensation insurance carrier. These injuries are known as First Aid and are not recordable injuries per OSHA guidelines and no claims file needs to be made up for them. All other injuries are considered Medical Treatment, which are recordable for OSHA guidelines and for which claims files are made up.

Due to the benefits employers derive from classifying injuries as first aid, it is necessary to understand which injuries can be so classified and when they must be reported to the insurer and to OSHA. This list of first aid treatments if comprehensive, i.e., any treatment not included on this list is not considered first aid for OSHA record keeping purposes. OSHA considers the listed treatments to be first aid regardless of the professional qualifications of the person providing the treatment; even when a physician, nurse, or other health care professional provides these treatments, they are considered first aid for record keeping purposes.

New Rules under OSHA 194.07
Note: MT = Medical Treatment FA = First Aid – 1 does of prescription medication now MT (Old rule: 2 doses MT)
– OTC med at prescription strength now MT (Old rule any dosage FA)
– Any number of hot/cold treatments now FA – (Old rule 2 or more treatments MT)
– Drilling a nail now FA – (Old rule MT)
– Butterfly bandage/Steri-Strip now FA – (Old rule MT)

All First Voice kits and Self-contained Emergency Treatment (SET) Systems are designed with careful consideration to these types of OSHA guidelines.  Contact us for more details on how first aid programs can be made easier for EHS and Safety Supervisors, 888-473-1777.  info@firstvoice.us

2009 Saxcies Finalists Announced!

We want to send a big congratulations to all the 2009 Saxcies  Finalists.

The Saxcies™ honor SafetyXChange members, both individuals and companies, for outstanding achievement and dedication to workplace health and safety.

The Saxcies™ recognize and reward excellence in 5 categories:

• Safety Program of the Year
• Safety Hero of the Year
• SafetyXChange Contributor of the Year
• Safety Trainer of the Year
• The Henshaw Award for Corporate Leadership in Safety

Think Safe won the award for Best New Safety Product in 2006 for Self-contained Emergency Treatment System.

Here’s an excerpt talking about Think Safe from 2006 Saxcies: The Winners:

It was a great choice. First Voice started with an observation. Annette Carter was a flight nurse who responded to medical emergencies. When she’d touch down at the scene of an emergency, she’d find more often than not that the victim had received no, inadequate or even harmful treatment. The problem: People on the scene lacked the information and supplies necessary to stabilize the victim until help could arrive. Sadly, therefore, opportunities to save the victim’s life or prevent serious injury were lost. Nurse Carter saw how the AED had saved victims of cardiac arrest. A light bulb went off. “Let’s use the same concept and technology to save victims of other kinds of medical emergency,” she resolved.

The result is First Voice. First Voice provides a series of interactive Yes/No verbal prompts for more than 30 medical emergencies including burns, broken bones, HAZMAT incidents, severe bleeding and CPR. Like an AED, it empowers a person on the scene to provide lifesaving first aid, even if that person has absolutely no training. It even comes with pre-packaged supplies.

We won one of their prestigious helmets.

To learn more about the JumpBag SET System – or any of the other 13 – you can do so at the Think Safe site or feel free to reach out via Twitter, email or call at 888-473-1777.