Shop First Aid Kit

[Sean Troy]

How many have a functional first aid kit in thier shop ? I ask because as I'm working on finishing up the odds and ends on my new shop, I only just today thought about it and went out and bought one.

[Don Bullock]

Sean, that's a good question. It's also a reminder to those of us who don't have one in the shop. Since my garage/shop is directly connected to the house I have direct access to the first aid supplies in our bathrooms and never really thought about having one in the garage. Buying one for the shop's not a bad idea though. Thanks. I'll look into getting one asap.

[Bill Huber]

I have one that I got for a boat shot that is sealed with a rubber gasket and stays nice and clean inside.

I guess I am lucky that the only thing I have ever used out of it was one band aid and some aspirin.

[James Jaragosky]

I have one for my pickup as well, along with a fire extinguisher.

[Drew Armstrong]

Have one... and a fire extinguisher...

Drew

[Scott Long]

I just bought one about 2 weeks ago. In fact I didn't even have time to hang it yet. I also have 2 fire extinguishers.

[Joe Unni]

I do - also with extinguisher.

[Rod Sheridan]

I have the standard St John Ambulance first aid kit, a telephone mounted two feet above the floor, and a 5 pound ABC fire extinguisher at the exit from the shop.

Fortunately, aside from answering the phone frequently(I had two teenage daughters), I haven't required the other two items.

regards, Rod.

P.S. The phone mounting height was from an industrial accident seminar I attended, they suggested that in case you couldn't stand, as well as not locking the doors to your house or shop if you are working alone. I guess you would have to balance that with your personal safety requirements.

[Al Willits]

""""""""
P.S. The phone mounting height was from an industrial accident seminar I attended, they suggested that in case you couldn't stand, as well as not locking the doors to your house or shop if you are working alone. I guess you would have to balance that with your personal safety requirements.
"""""""""

Phone may be a nice idea, but not so sure about not locking your house...least in my neighborhood...:)

I have a pretty complete first aid kit hanging on the wall, but I've done a lot more than just woodworking in my garage...er...shop, so I need to cover more types of possible injuries.

I also have three commercial grade fire extinguishers, past history has shown you can not have to many of them.
Make sure you keep them current, mine require a inspection evey so often...which reminds me to add that to the project list...:)

But you can buy a pretty basic first aid kit from target or any of the major retailers that will cover most day to day injuires, there is no real reason not to have one in the shop and house, especially considering these kits are under $20..imho

Al

[Bill Ryall]

2 full first aid kits, 3 fire extinguishers.

[Don Dean]

Have one... and a fire extinguisher...

[Dave Anderson NH]

Most often the inexpensive First Aid Kits found in the drug store, Borg, or at one of the major retailers have serious deficencies for woodworkers. While they might be great on bandaids, antiseptic cream, small dressings, burn cream, etc they need seerious beefing up. Most notably, you need to have an eyewash bottle and at least one or two large military style battle dressings. Foreign objects in the eye- splinters, dust, etc are very common is the shop even if you wear eye protection. A quick flush could very easily save you a trip to either the emergency room or the opthamologist.

The battle dressing or alternately gauze pads larger than 4" x 4" are needed in the hopefully unlikely event of a severe cut or worse yet an amputation. A friend of mine from another woodworking forum took about 5" of a cherry cutoff in the gut a few years back due to a hard kickback. He was very fortunate both that his wife was home when it happened and that she is an RN. He spent 5 hours in surgery.

If you are going out to buy a First Aid kit consider avoiding the regular outlets and go instead to a specialty safety equipment supplier. Most stock several sizes and varieties of kits from a number of good manufacturers. It'll be more expensive than your local discount retailer, but you'll get a far better kit. Expect to pay anywhere between $25 to $100 depending on what you pick.

[Jim Becker]

I have a small first aid kit in the shop and have since I built it. Do make sure you check the supplies once in awhile as some adhesives and other things deteriorate over time, especially in less-conditioned environments like many of our shops.

[Ted Jay]

Most often the inexpensive First Aid Kits found in the drug store, Borg, or at one of the major retailers have serious deficencies for woodworkers. While they might be great on bandaids, antiseptic cream, small dressings, burn cream, etc they need seerious beefing up. Most notably, you need to have an eyewash bottle and at least one or two large military style battle dressings. Foreign objects in the eye- splinters, dust, etc are very common is the shop even if you wear eye protection. A quick flush could very easily save you a trip to either the emergency room or the opthamologist.

The battle dressing or alternately gauze pads larger than 4" x 4" are needed in the hopefully unlikely event of a severe cut or worse yet an amputation. A friend of mine from another woodworking forum took about 5" of a cherry cutoff in the gut a few years back due to a hard kickback. He was very fortunate both that his wife was home when it happened and that she is an RN. He spent 5 hours in surgery.

If you are going out to buy a First Aid kit consider avoiding the regular outlets and go instead to a specialty safety equipment supplier. Most stock several sizes and varieties of kits from a number of good manufacturers. It'll be more expensive than your local discount retailer, but you'll get a far better kit. Expect to pay anywhere between $25 to $100 depending on what you pick.
Mine consists of a Tackle box to hold a variety of sizes of band aids, antiseptic creams, tapes, guaze, alchohol, tweezers and so on. Also include a box of sanitary pads for those "high flow" cuts.....:o

[Steven Wilson]

No first aid kit in the shop, but I do have a couple of abdominal pads, a box of bandaids and an eyewash kit. Whenever I go in to the hospital I scrounge some supplies from the OR nurses or friendly doctors. The big abdominal pads (not sure of their technical term) can soak up a great deal of blood and work well for applying pressure to slow down a major bleeder. I do have a good travel first aid kit I take on vacations, a small first aid kit in each car, one in the boat, small ones in the tackle boxes and a small one that fits in my fly fishing vest.

[John Schreiber]

. . . The phone mounting height was from an industrial accident seminar I attended, they suggested that in case you couldn't stand, . . .
That is a very good idea. I'd rather bend down to get the phone a thousand times than not be able to get up to it when I needed it.

[Kevin Groenke]

Yea, all of the above. Fortunately most of the first aid we perform (weekly for sure) is on students who have cut themselves with x-acto and utility knives. Not good, but better than bandsaws, etc... We haven't sent anybody to the ER yet this year.

We haven't had anything significant happen in the shop proper for some time... knock-on-wood. There are tip bins in a couple of places for frequently used stuff and a plastic tackle box travel pack. We also have mounted throughout the shop sealed boxes that contain:
nitrile gloves
bloodstopper style absorber and wrap
chemical icepack
zip-lock digit bag
4x4's
self stick stretch wrap
biohazard wipes
biohazard bag

Have never had to use any of those, but they're there, perhaps the students see them and act accordingly.

-kg

[Rich Engelhardt]

Hello,
Yep - got my roll of duct tape - the "good stuff" not the cheapie brand - and I keep the cell phone in the front pocket of my bibs :D
(only half kidding)

My shop is in the (attached) garage. I figure if I'm injured more than what a stip of duct tape can hold together - and I've actually used it - while I get into the house, then I'll either scream bloody murder for "the cavalry" or use the cell phone to call 911.

[Mick Zelaska]

I bought serveral kits from Galls for work. Many to choose from at reasonalble prices. Order on-line and at your doorstep in 3 days. I just checked their site and here is a kit for $60 that has most everthing that has been mentioned above.

http://www.galls.com/style.html?assort=clearance&style=FA198

[Dusty Fuller]

I have one of those "outdoor" kits in the shop, plus an emergency rescue bag in my park truck. One fire extinguisher in the truck and one in the house (~30 yards away). Luckily I haven't needed the extinguishers because either the "shop" or the house would burn down pretty fast... the house was built in the late 1940's before the property was a state park. The pine paneling from floor to ceiling in the living room and kitchen kind of makes the place a pile of kindling. So far the first aid kit has served numerous chisel and carving tool slices, and a bashed index finger, but nothing else. No power tools to speak of, so I just get the slice-n-dice injuries for now.

[glenn bradley]

How many have a functional first aid kit in their shop ? I ask because as I'm working on finishing up the odds and ends on my new shop, I only just today thought about it and went out and bought one.

I found I could assemble one that meets the needs of the shop MUCH cheaper than an equivalent box would cost. Most kits come chock-full of stuff you will never use and don't want to be pawing through while looking for your thumb.

I keep mine in a plastic shoe box in a position where I can open or dump it one-handed. I don't want to fuss with a fancy latch trying to get to first aid supplies while I am passing out.

Now, my two worst case statements aside, I have this:

Plastic lift top box
Tourniquet
Peroxide
Alcohol
Neosporin
Large, Medium, Knuckle and fingertip band aids
adhesive tape
Tweezers
scissors
magnifying glass

Anything else is not an emergency item or a convenience item and I can go to the house for it ;-)

P.s. I also have 911 on a one-touch button on the phone. I'm not a fatalist but, I do live and work alone and shouting for help will do me no good at all so instead, I try to be prepared. Nothing's happened yet ;-)

[Justin Bukoski]

Many years ago when I was in the military we had a few interesting thinks in the combat lifesaver bag (aka super advanced first aid kit). There was one large roll of duct tape, a box of super flow tampons as well as the minis and several tubes of super glue - along with the other stuff (iv bags caths etc)

It turns out that tampons are perfect for sticking in a bullet wound or any large gash and when you tape them down with duct tape you can temporarily treat a pnuemo thorax (I'm not a doctor so I can't explain that other than to say that if someone gets hit in the lung outside air gets in through the hole and thats bad so you cover it with plastic wrap or duct tape and call for help). The super glue was kind of liquid stitches for when someone couldn't get to a doctor in a hurry and we didn't want to call for a helicopter for a bad cut. Medical people will tell you its a bad idea to use non-surgical grade CA glue for cuts but I do it all the time. No blood poisoning....yet. :)

Anyway, this is all off topic but it got me thinking back and how some silly stuff saved a couple of guys' lives...

[Bob Noles]

You guys are making me nervous...... I think I'll go visit the hand tool forum for a while :eek: :eek:

[Denny Rice]

Awhile back my sons Boy Scout leader made each one of his scouts put togeather a first aid kit they could take with them while camping. I thought this was a really good idea. This got me to think I needed one in my shop so I took a Rubbermaid fishing "tackle box" and made my own first aid kit for the shop. I purchased small containers to hold cleaners and disinfectants, (spray and squirt bottles)so as I use the supplies I can replace what I have used in my kit with the larger bottles and supplies we keep in the house for everyday use. The tackle box came with 4 small boxes that could be arranged as needed and everything is labeled so I am not searching if I ever get hurt.

[Jude Kingery]

Sean, I'm rather like Don in that our shop is attached to the house so it's only a few steps through to the first aid kit in the bathroom. Also I'd agree with Don - might sound odd and not to be indelicate, but as a former paramedic, the trauma bandages that cost a fortune were the equivalent of kotex in individual paper wrappers, clean, absorbent and you can apply pressure on a wound. Any good first aid kit should have some. Just a suggestion. Jude

[Skyp Nelson]

Oddly enough gentlemen, one of the best pieces to have in your First-Aid kit is a Maxi-Pad or two. Great to cover and seal huge ugly cuts, and the adheresive stip easily sticks to whatever hold bandage you use. Also, there are bed sheet protectors for people who wet the bed at night, for when things *really* go south. Huge instant cold packs are a must to save anything that might have been severed.
When I planned for my shop first aid kit, I planned for the very worst. I mean, if all I need is a band-aid, I can calmly go into the house. If I need to save my own life, I figured I would have to be a tad more pro-active.
Just my 2c

[glenn bradley]

You guys are making me nervous...... I think I'll go visit the had tool forum for a while :eek: :eek:

I definitly does not need a power cord to do damage ;-)

[James Jaragosky]

Yea, all of the above. Fortunately most of the first aid we perform (weekly for sure) is on students who have cut themselves with x-acto and utility knives.
Did you know that the #1 tool for someone to injure them self with is the razor knife?

[Reed Wells]

Hey guys, One more thing to add to those medkits. Go to the store and get a box of Kotex, the kind with the ties on them. They are sanitary and heaven forbid, absorbent enough for a real nasty one. Reed

[Mike Pierson]

does a box of band-aids count? :(

do have fire extinguisher.

[Gary Herrmann]

Yes and two fire extinguishers.

[Jim Heffner]

I keep (1) in the shop, (2) in my work truck, (1) in personal truck,
(1) in wife's car, (1) in the boat, and plenty of extra supplies in house as well. I think it is better to have, and not need than to have need and not have. Also, fire extenguishers ( large ABC types) all around as well.
Jim Heffner