It’s Time to “Can” your First Aid “Van Man”!
Did you know that using a First Aid Refill / Supply Van Service goes directly against OSHA recommendations & directives?
Outsourcing your first aid program distances your awareness and interaction of your facility’s health and safety needs. This practice has been proven to skew injury reporting and cover up potentially costly PPE issues.
1915.87(d)(5) The employer shall replenish first aid supplies as necessary to ensure that there is an adequate supply when needed.
1915.87(d)(6) The employer shall inspect first aid supplies at sufficient intervals to ensure that they are adequate and in a serviceable condition.
“It is advisable for the employer to give a specific person the responsibility for choosing the types and amounts of first-aid supplies and maintaining them. Employers should periodically reassess the demand for these supplies and adjust their inventories.”
Questions
Are you still using using a Van Service Company to refill and supply your First Aid Cabinets?
If you are then did you know that you are giving your First Aid Cabinet/Supply Van Service a BLANK CHECK every month?
or….
Did you already “can” your first aid “van man”, but now you are stuck trying to manage the First Aid cabinets they left behind?
Does your fleet of vehicles have cheap little first aid boxes of bandages and expired ointment that haven’t been checked in years?
Do you even know if you are following best practices for proper first aid supplies?
Is your Safety Budget strained?
The good news is that there is a solution to managing all of your first aid in a simple and major money saving way!
The most important question you should ask yourself is:
How much do I spend each month on First Aid Supplies & Service?
(Hint: If you don’t know this answer, then we probably just uncovered a problem.)
THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT FIRST AID CABINET/SUPPLY VAN SERVICES
A “One Size” Cabinet does NOT fit all
Right from the beginning they have put you in a bad predicament. That 4-shelf cabinet probably isn’t necessary for your workplace, but let me tell you that it is absolutely necessary for them! There is a rhyme and a reason why they only provide those oversized 4 shelf cabinets like that, and trust us, it isn’t to your benefit.
Right Number of Cabinets:
Van Service companies want as many of those cabinets in your facility as possible. While having multiple First Aid Cabinets may be appropriate based on size and population, Van Services almost always over estimate on their proposal.
Inconspicuous Cabinet Locations:
Marelly has seen Van Services put up cabinets in inconspicuous places that most, if not everyone, has no clue where it is, but since locations are not clearly marked on the invoice, they can stuff items in there and nobody will ever check it. Marelly has found cabinets in work places that employees never even knew existed. We have seen cabinets in closets, in storage cabinets that are not always accessible, and even in bathrooms!
What male/female safety manager is going to take the time to question the usage/refills of a cabinet in the opposite sex’s bathroom. Are you really going to get someone to check on that for you?
Invoicing Practices:
Most Van Services do NOT want you to know how much you are spending monthly on First Aid. In fact, most van services want to send the invoice directly to AP, versus giving it to someone at the facility, especially anybody involved directly with safety / first aid.
This is one of the reasons why 8 out of 10 Safety Managers do not know what they spent on First Aid even in the most recent 3-4 months. Some safety managers have NEVER seen a First Aid Refill Invoice from the provider.
Confusing/Overwhelming Invoices Lacking Clarity / precise Units of Measure:
What exactly is a “small”, “medium”, or “large” item refill anyway?
Invoices do not have exact numbers of the refill/product that was put into the cabinet. Notice they abbreviate various terms or services so that if you begin to question them, it becomes a nuisance and causes you to just “deal” with it later, all in the hopes of you forgetting.
Inconsistent Service Dates:
So they come every month (trust me, they need to) but they dont come on or around the same day of the month. In most cases, that is intentional. This should be a red flag. Van Service Reps do not want key decision makers and gatekeepers to know exactly when they are coming. One of the biggest aggravations of a Van Service Rep is having someone watch over their shoulder when refilling cabinets. In fact, we have had eye witness accounts of reps getting agitated and even uncomfortable when being watched.
Proper Cabinet Contents Are Not Initially Disclosed or Followed Thereafter:
Van Service Companies do not want you to know what ANSI Requirements or recommendations are. ANSI STANDARDS are the simple and solid foundation for a workplace First Aid Supply program.
In other words….If you don’t know what is supposed to be in your cabinet, then you DON’T know what is NOT supposed to be in your cabinet!
If you did know this information, then the rep would not be able to put all of those additional and excess items in there. Cabinet(s) might start off with minimal items, but very quickly there will be additional, possibly even unapproved items in your cabinets.
CABINET CHAOS:
How many different types of 1” x 3” bandages do you really need? The more items the rep puts in the cabinet, the more complex, overwhelming and tedious it looks to manage by someone internally. They want the cabinet to look that way so that when you think of discontinuing service, it look intimidating to manage.
Van Services Don’t Want Just First Aid on the Wall:
Van Services will do whatever it takes to ultimately get a Pharmacy / Convenience Store Mounted on the Wall at your location. OTC Meds, & Convenience items i.e. breath fresheners, lip balm, skin moisturizers, and various pain medicines are extremely overpriced and highly profitable for the van service.
Small but Costly Hidden Expenses:
Van Services consistently and inconsistently charge customers customers Service Fees, Tamper Evident Seal Fees, and even Cabinet Sanitization Fees. Are we kidding? Nope!
Van Services must bill a minimum per cabinet per month in order to justify stopping at your place, even if your cabinet does not need any refills.
Rep Turnover:
Many van service companies switch around route drivers intentionally so that they can play the “dumb” game and put items in your cabinets that the previous route driver was told not to put in their anymore.
Overstuffing:
We have yet to meet a client in the last 15 years that was NOT a victim of at leas tone of the above mentioned facts. First AId Van Service Companies are supposed to be watching over you. But who is watching over them???
Those big, unitized item boxes promote this unethical practice. There is always a little bit of room to stuff 20 or more bandages or ointments in a box that is labeled with a “Qty. of 200.” After all are you going to question that? Are you going to count exactly how many are now in the box after the rep leaves?
Marelly has seen seen item numbers exceed the original stated qty on the box even if the current quantity is full or satisfactory.
First Aid Route Drivers are Commissioned Drivers:
This is a fact. This is not a sick rumor, or hearsay.
Need we say more? If this simple fact does not concern you, then I am not sure what will.
Do not become a victim of First Aid Van Services. It can be tough to get out of a long term contract that they make you sign.
Do yourself (and your company) a favor and find out today when your contract expires.
STOP HEMORRHAGING MONEY!
Managing our Cabinets are as easy as taking a picture. Talk to a Marelly Representative today. We can simplify your First Aid Program, make it easy to manage, and save your company an enormous amount of money.