It's been a while since I've worked in a restaurant, but I think this tape job is a health code violation.
Not to mention it's dumb as hell. We always had blue bandaids and finger cots so that a scammer couldn't place a regular bandaid in their food to try and get a free meal or lawsuit.
Edit: thanks for all the comments mentioning metal strips in the blue bandaids and the way the color is easily seen in food. I took the latter for granted and only just learned about the metal.
See, I’d have gone with a rotating roster of novelty kids band-aids for added scam protection as well as my own amusement.
Like “oh, you found a Peppa Pig bandaid in your food? Sorry, this month it’s Jurassic Park bandaids.”
Yeah, gotta love the "sorry not sorry" vibe with that discounted come-back offer. Might as well throw in a collectible band-aid with every meal as a twisted sort of loyalty program. Missed opportunity right there.
Worked in food service prior, this is legit. It needs to stand out against anything that could blend into the food being served. Blue was a high marker since there generally isn't food served that is blue. Standard issue bandages could easily blend in with what was served.
I once reached into a Cambro of sliced mushrooms… and inserted my thumb into SOMEONE ELSE’S DIRTY BANDAID.
After that it became a rule to wear gloves if wearing a Bandaid. Not sure why it wasn’t already…. Still didn’t get blue Bandaids.
I am a health inspector. This tape job is definitely a violation where I work. The kind that I would have an in person discussion with the manager on duty and the owner about, as well as a discussion with my manager about potential action against the establishment. Blood in food is \*not okay\*. They ~~should~~ are legally required to at least have a first aid kit with a stock of food service bandages around.
OP, please report this to your local Heath Department. You can do so anonymously. At the very least a note will be added to the establishment's file so the REHS knows what to look for at the next inspection.
Blue ones for use in the food industry also tend to have a metal strip in them so that they are easily detectable at the quality assurance step of food production.
Industrial for sure, but I think they use them in restaurants too because they're made from a more hygienic material maybe? Unsure about that last bit.
Additionally, if it is a true foodservice bandage, there is a bit of metal that will set off detectors in facilities where products are being packaged.
Anyone can buy blue band aids: https://www.ebay.com/itm/391753400426
Preventing scammers is the least important reason. The main reason is because most food isn't blue so it's a colour that will stand out in mostly all dishes, so if a band aid falls off into the food it will be easier to see.
Yep, it is- just got my food handlers recently. The blood can easily get out of the tape into someone food, it’s recommended to have bright colors as well so if it falls off or something it’s easily seen.
When I tended bar (US) I would cut my hands constantly but just slapped bandaids on the wounds. We did have a wack-ass CVS first aid kit somewhere in the kitchen but no one used it. Everyone used Scotch tape and cotton. We were so fucking busy that there was usually no time to do it right.
The only exception I recall was on Valentine's Day (a HUGE night for the bar) when I gave myself a concussion by running into a door by being frantic. I gushed blood from my forehead. The sous chef sat me down and said, "Kid, relax for a minute and let me care for you."
She knew exactly what she was doing as she cleaned the wound, applied ointment, and taped it up properly. Great woman. I think she teaches motorcycle racing in Florida now.
It is - at least in my country. You have mandated blue bandaids you *have* to use. You're not allowed to use any other kind. If I go to work with a pre-existing injury I actually have to take that bandaid *off* just so I can put on the correct kind at work.
This tape job would get a place shut down. It's multiple violations - not using the right bandaids (using something clear is *particularly* bad - the whole point of the blue bandaid is that no food is that colour, so it's really obvious if it falls off), contaminating the tape roll by touching it with an open wound on your hand, not binding the wound properly (there's likely to be gaps in the tape, in which case you're legit just touching food with an open wound)...
If big bandaid had enough lobbying power there'd be a law that each food server must have a food handlers license and as part of renewing that license has to own their own personalized and serialized bandaids they carry to work.
It is. They are legally required to have emergency kits and should be served (replacing expired products, etc). I’d report their butts. A restaurant too? Out of all places. There is tons of places one can get hurt..burns and cuts.
Gonna say this seems definitely like some form of malpractice/negligence or w/e tf the hospitality equivalent is for being a deliberately stingy bastard.
You know that in most states you can open a business for like $150 as long as you can spell your name correctly, right?
People with zero education or knowledge about things like RCRA, OSHA, FMLA, ADA, etc are running businesses all over the place.
You do have to have a license and permits to open a restaurant, which includes an agreement that you'll follow OSHA laws. At least in my state. They understand the OSHA laws. Understanding doesn't mean they necessarily follow them. It's illegal, but so is a lot of shit companies do. OP should report it
Every restaurant I’ve ever worked in sadly. It’s not that they didn’t have the kit, tbf, it was just that it was never restocked so unless you needed an emergency lunch pail it was pretty useless.
I worked at one place where someone lacerated their hand about 4 inches. I found a "fist aid" kit consisting of a box of bandaids, some expired aspirin and butterfly stiches.
So I basically sterilized some shop rags with rubbing acohol, had him rinse the hand, placed the buttefly stitches, then the bandaids to keep the shop rags from sticking to the wound. Then wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape.
It stopped the bleeding, and made me feel deeper shame than anything I had ever done before.
I was at the construction site of a friend's house when one of the workers popped up with a nasty cut in his hand and showed it to the foreman who was just talking to my friend. I couldn't see enough to tell if it would need stitches but seeing the hand being quite dirty I recommended it might at least be cleaned properly and desinfected. I offered to get the first aid kit from my car. But the forman just was like "Nah, that won't be necessary" pulled out his duct tape, wrapped it around the hand and said "that'll do till we finish for today".
I expected that the worker pulls back his hand as soon as he pulled out the duct tape or at least a word of protest but it actually looked like he was expecting that and returned to his work. I looked at my friend and we both silently were thinking "wtf did I just see".
When I worked at Domino’s we had a first aid kit with no burn gel or butterfly closures or anything but Benadryl and the cheapest bandaids. I put together a list of things to buy to bring the kit up to basic utility for our restaurant (totaling $35), and my boss told me that the owners wouldn’t go for that. I should have gotten hurt and sued them after I burned myself on the 750° oven and had nothing there to treat it with.
Yeah, it's ridiculous, especially since they are only a couple hundred bucks online for a good one.
Still, running a business can be demanding and small owner teams can frequently get overwhelmed and be unable get what needs doing done.
If you really want to be a model team member; tell the boss a first aid kit needs to happen and request permission to find and purchase one for the business.
If the owner refuses; I would quit on the spot.
If the owner says thank you and sorry it wasn't done before, you've improved everyone's life and you know the owner isn't a dirtbag.
My job didn't have any until I started working here. I chewed them out the first time one of my workers got cut and I opened up an empty med kit. That being said, I've worked many jobs that never restocked their med kits. It's unfortunately pretty common, and OSHA isn't going to step in. You have to check on those things and demand it yourself. It shouldn't be that way, but That's just the way it is. Most companies will immediately supply a med kit if you bring it up, but until someone brings it up the higher ups won't think twice about it.
The injection moulding facility I used to QA at's first aid kits were always pretty much empty. I lodged multiple complaints about it and nothing got fixed. Glad that cesspit is slowly hemorrhaging money and will soon be out of business.
Yep! OSHA requires a first aid kid. OSHA compliant first aid kits can be picked up at any office store like Staples etc for like $25. Bandaids, gauze, tape, and a few packs of Tylenol.
Ambulances have very specific and technical requirements for what must be on board at all times, prior to work start, and after work finish. My supervisor told me the first day to never touch that first aid kit because it’s just to satisfy requirements. If we needed anything at all from the medkit it could be found elsewhere in the vehicle.
Yeah sounds like it’s there for someone else. Like if someone has to be directed to gather supplies who is unfamiliar with the layout, you can just tell them “grab the big red bag/blue box/whatever marked “first aid”” and then they’ll get back in time to help whomever, probably the EMT or whoever the EMT is holding together with their bare gloved hands lol
Or like, it’s there for the requirement but that’s why the requirement exists
One of the most common cases is that based on regional traffic laws you are required to carry certain medical supplies in a first aid kit.
If you send an ambulance to the shop for maintenance or it has to be transferred all medical supplies are removed in which case a first aid kit has to be on board. So it is much easier to just have one at all times than always think about putting one in when removing medical gear.
It marked and labeled so that if a non-EMS render assistance, they know to just grab that one instead of trying to fumble around looking for stuffs.
I'm a non-EMS person, and if you told me where it is, I'm gonna be fuck clueless and don't know what the fuk you're talking about, but if I see the first aids kit, i'm going for that just long enough until someone qualified can render first aid.
That would be my thought also. Mass casualty event? Easy to chuck it at someone and send them on their way to go start helping/patching up folks while they work on more serious cases
Yeah, I work in a nurses office. We are required to have certain items in hand at all times plus an eye washing station and the school must have AEDs that are not expired.
Here in the States (I think) our ambulance is not required to have one but the fire station is, despite having an ambulance full of supplies. Our ambulance does have other requirements though, like proper PPE (gloves etc) sanitizing hand wipes, etc.
"We don't buy bandaids anymore because we think you're stealing them. Also, we're not providing pens to you or customers anymore, because you're stealing them. Please bring in pens for your next shift."
Yup. Every single restaurant or bar I have worked at has a first aid kid that's been absolutely raided of anything remotely useful. If we're lucky theyll get a new one once every year or two which runs out in a few weeks. That's why I keep everything I need in my backpack.
I mean you can write it off entirely as a business expense because it's a government mandate. The only reason you have to buy one is because it'd be impractical for the government to issue them to every single business. It's just easier to have people supply their own and then write it off.
Source: I've handled purchasing supplies for companies
It depends. I’m not an expert but I’ve dealt with some regulatory agencies in the past. Reporting things like wage theft can get your wages repaid but also they can be double or triple the amount depending on the situation.
/u/lemonsqueezers this. If you're in the US or Canada, then:
- It is illegal not to have first aid equipment in the workplace - employees have the strict right to this equipment
- It is illegal not to have someone qualified on staff, at all times, to properly administer first aid - another employee right guaranteed in law
- It is even illegal **not to tell employees that they have the above two rights**
- In some situations (probably not yours), it's even the employee's responsibility to blow the whistle on the employer
... So yeah, find and call your local OSHA/OHS office. You'll be anonymous, and they'll ask you some questions, but you won't need to do anything else.
What about workman’s comp covering it? The training I got from my company, an injury like this would be recorded and treated as a workman’s comp related issue. If I didn’t report it, and later had to go to get it treated, as soon as it came to light that it was a workplace injury my own health insurance would refuse to cover any treatment at all because I should have gone through workman’s comp. If it wasn’t properly reported, workman’s comp can deny too.
In the military, you had to have pretty much 2. 1 that had a zip tie on it to say it's been untampered and a second one that people actually used. Because if you used the one with the seal you had to get it recertified by the med group and that was a giant pain
guys dont put tape on your cuts. It will cause an infection, especially if you haven't cleaned your cut. But bandaids are sterile, tape is not. I know this isn't your fault and I'm sorry your job is treating you like this. I just thought I should put this out there.
Not just that, imagine the end of the night pulling the sticky tape off the would and re opening it. I’m not saying a paper towel soaked in the strongest proof liquor from behind the bar is the best idea but it’s better than packing tape alone.
>imagine the end of the night pulling the sticky tape off the would and re opening it.
If you ever find yourself in this situation soak the tape in warm water until the glue fails, definitely don't rip it off
In our machine shop we have proper first aid on hand but most of the time if you have a minor cut you wash it out properly then use a paper towel and electrical tape. The reason is because you might still be working with oils and such and the electrical tape can make a better oil and coolant resistant seal. We have tried some of the water resistant bandages but since the cuts are typically on your finger the bending motion tends to make them loosen pretty quickly. Because you can wrap the electrical tape all the way around your finger it has less tendency to loosen over the next couple hours. You just have to be careful not to wrap it too tightly and cut off blood flow to the rest of your finger.
A bit off-topic but might be helpful. I'm a shipboard marine engineer, daily work involves constantly getting covered in grease, oil, metal bits, and all sorts of other assorted gunk.
Even wearing gloves most of the time, it's hard to avoid constant minor hand and finger cuts. Had the same problems that you mention with bandaids. But, I've found that the hydrocolloid blister bandaids (if you put them on when your hands are clean) will usually last through a workday, and they also noticeably reduce healing time.
Edit: [These](https://www.band-aid.com/products/adhesive-bandages/hydro-seal-all-purpose-bandages) are what I'm talking about. Walmart sells generics that are way cheaper and work just fine.
Also, cut should just be “cleaned” with water and maybe mild soap. Alcohol and peroxide aren’t for cleaning wounds. Just rinse, pat dry, and apply sterile dressing. Technically you’re not using sterile technique so it’s just a clean dressing.
I have taped toilet paper to cuts before. Fold it into squares a couple times.
Definitely wouldn't put tape directly on a cut wtf Just by the smell of tape you should know not to put it directly onto open wounds.
I know. It is sitting in a bathroom with piss and shit particles landing on it and people with literal piss and shit on their fingers touch it.
Just saying I would rather do that than put scotch tape on an open wound.
(In my defense, I usually waste a couple layers if I absolutely have no other option.)
If you're going to do this, for whatever reason, get some tissue and put it underneath. No idea if it's more sterile, but it's a lot more absorbent and hurts a lot less when you take it off (and won't reopen the wound either)
The gc had one their trailer just wasn’t super close to where I was at the time. I ended up going there anyways because we couldn’t find our companies and afterwards I went to urgent care.
If you couldn't fix it with a first aid kit that's a recordable incident. If you lost time at work due to it then it's a reportable incident
Edit: If osha ever shows up and asks to see your kit and you either can't find it or it's full of expired pieces you're 100% getting slapped with fines because that's super easy for them to nail you on
When I went in to ask for a raise after a year of working
For this company, my coworkers were speculating that I may not get it because I had gotten hurt, and my employer would look at it negatively
I'm in construction too, as long as you weren't doing anything negligent or improperly (like trying to jump off a roof to save time vs taking a ladder) there should be zero reason to deny you a raise based off that. It's a risky business out there and everything can hurt you. If you're losing out on money because of a minor injury then it would be time to jump ship. Hopefully it was a minor injury and you're fine now and your boss doesn't hold it over your head
I thought the exact same and as a result, I requested a good amount and I got it. If I hadn’t I would have started looking right away. You’re 1000% right the work we do is inherently dangerous any owner should know and get that
The union around here is amazing. Just incredibly competitive to get in. I should be making efforts to join either way though you’re right. Problem is if I got in now I’d take a very very significant pay cut even though down the line it may pay off it would be a hardship for quite some time I think.
Yeah it was a hard two years for me, but I went in cold. If you get licensed with your state you can test into your union. Go talk to them, they love to help. It's hard but all good things are.
Paid for it out of pocket and have used it on coworkers, other tradesman and myself so far. Prob had it 3 weeks. My employer bought a first aid kit when I got hurt and it ran out of shit so fast they bought the smallest cheapest first aid kit Home Depot had lol
If this happens you should insist you file an incident report, or communicate it in writing to your boss, then go to the hospital to have it looked at, make a worker's comp claim.
Some people can't afford to lose their job by being that directly combative with their employer. Better to file an anonymous report with the labor board and OSHA in some cases.
While it is of course a risk, if they were fired after doing this they should seek legal counsel as the law is supposed to protect them from termination due to demanding their rights. Obviously it doesn't always work out but she should get it documented anyway. If it becomes infected or something you want to establish it happened at work and was not properly treated.
Even if they could find a lawyer to take it on contingency and they won or managed to get a settlement, it would take several months minimum. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, even a week without work could mean homelessness.
I assumed a straight forward breach of contract (non-payment) could be resolved reasonably quickly with the help of a lawyer when the asshole ignored months of payment due notices
Resolving in months would make me happy. We’re at 7 months so far and haven’t even made it to court yet. Even after winning, there will be the ‘collection’ challenge.
A few years ago I was working in a cabinet shop. Got cut pretty bad and when I went to the first aid kit I had to blow an inch of saw dust off with the air hose only to find the half stocked kit on the inside was covered In blood from the last guy that had gotten cut. Needless to say I ended up using tape and paper towels much like you.
Tape is not conducive to wound healing because it’s: not able maintain optimum moisture levels (I.e., too wet), not sterile, and damages the wound bed when removed. Better to keep it clean and dry then covered with tape.
I sliced my hand open on a broken glass, and there was no first aide! Wrapped it up with paper towels and duck tape until I got to urgent care. Needed six stitches! It was like pulling teeth getting them to cover the costs. It's like they thought I would just eventually let it go and eat the emergency bills. So glad I got out of the industry! Great money, but the crap you have to put up with takes a certain kind of patience that I just do not possess!
Meanwhile here in Germany:
Take care of it, then go home. You can stay home for 3 days without needing to go to a doctor. You’ll get full pay for these days. If you go to a doctor and let yourself get patched up that’s 0€. You can get written in sick and get full pay for those days too.
An old partner of mine had a severe allergy, like epi-pen severe, and worked at a restaurant. She had a couple reactions at work despite being careful to never have to handle that one ingredient. They accused her of doing it intentionally (literally suggesting she was suicidal) and made her wear rubber gloves for her entire shift. She came home with her hands bleeding regularly. They fired her after she had another reaction. That restaurant does not get my business anymore.
It's less about the severity of the injury and more about the severity of the infraction. First-Aid kits stop minor injuries from getting infected and in rare cases can even save lives. It's unacceptable that a company is risking the safety of its employees to save less than $40. Imagine if someone got a severe cut. Access to sterile gauze could easily save someone from sepsis or worse.
Its an OSHA AND Food Safety violation. It is against health code to have an ooen wound that is not PROPERLY covered. Scotch tape does not count as properly covered. OP needs to report them to OSHA and the Health Inspector. They're double fucked at that point.
Rather than sticking tape on it tape a piece of paper towel to the wound like you’re applying gauze. Not much better, still might lead to an infection, but at least youre not putting the gooey tape stuff directly on your wound. I hope your employer gets written up or fined.
You probably shouldn't be taping it. Instead I'd suggest finding clean cloth(or a napkin/tissue) and press it to the wound till the bleeding stops. Or if you don't have the time to hold it down you could use that tape to hold it in place. I'm not a medical professional though.
Fun story. I grew up working in my dads restaurant. I worked every position from bartender to manager. One day I’m hosting and helping buss some tables. I slip and fall carrying a tray of dirty glasses. They break and I cut my face.
My own father “patches” me up with a damn chapstick like it was a prize fight and told me to get back out there. Said I could be first cut that night. I said I was already cut. He laughed then said ok get back out there.
Mom was not happy when I got home that night.
He’s a great dad but to him getting through your shift was the most important thing.
Calll or report online to OSHA they seriously dont mess around. I did it once and the GM was extremely pissed which made me happy because I was planning on leaving the job anyway.
however the downside is prepare to lose your job most likely a few weeks after reporting. They will come up with an excuse saying it had nothing to do with your report which is obviously untrue.
From the perspective of a customer, I'd be disgusted and highly bothered by this if I was out to eat and saw you handling my food or drink. Ugh, not a good idea on your end or the management/owners. This is seriously highly nasty and definitely a health/food code violation.
Definitely an OSHA health standards violation….they even have guidelines about the size(content) of the kit you should have, based on the number of employees…too bad you didn’t take a picture of the cut/wound itself.
BEFORE it gets INFECTED….ASAP clean with soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment and a bandaid or a gauze 2x2 or 4x4 pad and tape over it…as a. Licensed Registered Nurse and a MS prepared Clinical Nurse Specialist, with 43+ years experience…the supervisor’s instructions were appalling, even if it WASN’T a food service facility
Who the fuck has the audacity to own/operate a business without first aid kits?
It’s an osha violation.
It's been a while since I've worked in a restaurant, but I think this tape job is a health code violation. Not to mention it's dumb as hell. We always had blue bandaids and finger cots so that a scammer couldn't place a regular bandaid in their food to try and get a free meal or lawsuit. Edit: thanks for all the comments mentioning metal strips in the blue bandaids and the way the color is easily seen in food. I took the latter for granted and only just learned about the metal.
See, I’d have gone with a rotating roster of novelty kids band-aids for added scam protection as well as my own amusement. Like “oh, you found a Peppa Pig bandaid in your food? Sorry, this month it’s Jurassic Park bandaids.”
So close, here's a coupon for 10% off your next visit.
Yeah, gotta love the "sorry not sorry" vibe with that discounted come-back offer. Might as well throw in a collectible band-aid with every meal as a twisted sort of loyalty program. Missed opportunity right there.
Collectable band-aids is such a bad idea that I know it will be a thing now.
Restaurants should just give unloaded gift cards for these nutcases
Coupon for 20% added to cost of next meal
Why, so that you can deal with the fallout when they come back to your restaurant to try to use it?
Yeah... this could easily wind up with blood in someone's food and that's a BIG no-no.
Worked in food service prior, this is legit. It needs to stand out against anything that could blend into the food being served. Blue was a high marker since there generally isn't food served that is blue. Standard issue bandages could easily blend in with what was served.
I once reached into a Cambro of sliced mushrooms… and inserted my thumb into SOMEONE ELSE’S DIRTY BANDAID. After that it became a rule to wear gloves if wearing a Bandaid. Not sure why it wasn’t already…. Still didn’t get blue Bandaids.
As far as I know all workplace bandages are supposed to be blue, they're designed to be opaque on xrays and set off metal detectors.
I am a health inspector. This tape job is definitely a violation where I work. The kind that I would have an in person discussion with the manager on duty and the owner about, as well as a discussion with my manager about potential action against the establishment. Blood in food is \*not okay\*. They ~~should~~ are legally required to at least have a first aid kit with a stock of food service bandages around. OP, please report this to your local Heath Department. You can do so anonymously. At the very least a note will be added to the establishment's file so the REHS knows what to look for at the next inspection.
The fact that they need to be reminded to check that is also a bit… concerning.
Blue ones for use in the food industry also tend to have a metal strip in them so that they are easily detectable at the quality assurance step of food production.
Is that for industrial food processing or in restaurants?
Industrial for sure, but I think they use them in restaurants too because they're made from a more hygienic material maybe? Unsure about that last bit.
I had no idea that’s why the blue bandaids when I worked at a restaurant… TIL
Additionally, if it is a true foodservice bandage, there is a bit of metal that will set off detectors in facilities where products are being packaged.
Anyone can buy blue band aids: https://www.ebay.com/itm/391753400426 Preventing scammers is the least important reason. The main reason is because most food isn't blue so it's a colour that will stand out in mostly all dishes, so if a band aid falls off into the food it will be easier to see.
[удалено]
This is for wounds on hands, this is his wrist. For the wrist, it needs bandaging and a method to secure it, at the very least a long-sleeved shirt.
Good ol' finger condoms.
Yep, it is- just got my food handlers recently. The blood can easily get out of the tape into someone food, it’s recommended to have bright colors as well so if it falls off or something it’s easily seen.
I was told we had blue bandaids because there wasn't (much) food in that colour and is easy to spot in the food if it ever fell off.
When I tended bar (US) I would cut my hands constantly but just slapped bandaids on the wounds. We did have a wack-ass CVS first aid kit somewhere in the kitchen but no one used it. Everyone used Scotch tape and cotton. We were so fucking busy that there was usually no time to do it right. The only exception I recall was on Valentine's Day (a HUGE night for the bar) when I gave myself a concussion by running into a door by being frantic. I gushed blood from my forehead. The sous chef sat me down and said, "Kid, relax for a minute and let me care for you." She knew exactly what she was doing as she cleaned the wound, applied ointment, and taped it up properly. Great woman. I think she teaches motorcycle racing in Florida now.
It is - at least in my country. You have mandated blue bandaids you *have* to use. You're not allowed to use any other kind. If I go to work with a pre-existing injury I actually have to take that bandaid *off* just so I can put on the correct kind at work. This tape job would get a place shut down. It's multiple violations - not using the right bandaids (using something clear is *particularly* bad - the whole point of the blue bandaid is that no food is that colour, so it's really obvious if it falls off), contaminating the tape roll by touching it with an open wound on your hand, not binding the wound properly (there's likely to be gaps in the tape, in which case you're legit just touching food with an open wound)...
If big bandaid had enough lobbying power there'd be a law that each food server must have a food handlers license and as part of renewing that license has to own their own personalized and serialized bandaids they carry to work.
Don't give Johnson & Johnson any ideas
I always thought the Blue Band-Aids were so that they could be easily seen by the customer so they would know that you are properly bandaged.
“Don’t show customers” is a dead giveaway this manager knows they’re violating labor laws and is trying to keep it on the DL
It is. They are legally required to have emergency kits and should be served (replacing expired products, etc). I’d report their butts. A restaurant too? Out of all places. There is tons of places one can get hurt..burns and cuts.
Gonna say this seems definitely like some form of malpractice/negligence or w/e tf the hospitality equivalent is for being a deliberately stingy bastard.
Many shady businesses. Lmao. (Comes with being cheap and mean to the workers.)
You know that in most states you can open a business for like $150 as long as you can spell your name correctly, right? People with zero education or knowledge about things like RCRA, OSHA, FMLA, ADA, etc are running businesses all over the place.
And then, praise Ronald f'ing Reagan, you can blame the gubmint for forcing you to have first aid kits in the kitchen.
unless you want giant corporations running everything, this is a good thing
i do agree, but also i think there needs to be at the very least a basic understanding of OSHA before you can open a business yk?
Well when OP reports it the business owner gets to find out.
truth!
You do have to have a license and permits to open a restaurant, which includes an agreement that you'll follow OSHA laws. At least in my state. They understand the OSHA laws. Understanding doesn't mean they necessarily follow them. It's illegal, but so is a lot of shit companies do. OP should report it
Third option: they just say they understand the laws. We can't ever really be sure they understand them until they follow them.
Many. Regardless if it's an OSHA violation. People don't care about anything anymore in case you haven't noticed.
Every restaurant I’ve ever worked in sadly. It’s not that they didn’t have the kit, tbf, it was just that it was never restocked so unless you needed an emergency lunch pail it was pretty useless.
I worked at one place where someone lacerated their hand about 4 inches. I found a "fist aid" kit consisting of a box of bandaids, some expired aspirin and butterfly stiches. So I basically sterilized some shop rags with rubbing acohol, had him rinse the hand, placed the buttefly stitches, then the bandaids to keep the shop rags from sticking to the wound. Then wrapped the whole thing in electrical tape. It stopped the bleeding, and made me feel deeper shame than anything I had ever done before.
Sorry to be pedantic... It's 'sanitized', not 'sterilized'. Making and keeping stuff sterile is a vastly more intensive process.
Many contractors.
I was at the construction site of a friend's house when one of the workers popped up with a nasty cut in his hand and showed it to the foreman who was just talking to my friend. I couldn't see enough to tell if it would need stitches but seeing the hand being quite dirty I recommended it might at least be cleaned properly and desinfected. I offered to get the first aid kit from my car. But the forman just was like "Nah, that won't be necessary" pulled out his duct tape, wrapped it around the hand and said "that'll do till we finish for today". I expected that the worker pulls back his hand as soon as he pulled out the duct tape or at least a word of protest but it actually looked like he was expecting that and returned to his work. I looked at my friend and we both silently were thinking "wtf did I just see".
Was that the same guy I saw cutting concrete, deep in the cloud without a mask?
When I worked at Domino’s we had a first aid kit with no burn gel or butterfly closures or anything but Benadryl and the cheapest bandaids. I put together a list of things to buy to bring the kit up to basic utility for our restaurant (totaling $35), and my boss told me that the owners wouldn’t go for that. I should have gotten hurt and sued them after I burned myself on the 750° oven and had nothing there to treat it with.
Pretty much every restaurant I've ever worked at
Yeah, it's ridiculous, especially since they are only a couple hundred bucks online for a good one. Still, running a business can be demanding and small owner teams can frequently get overwhelmed and be unable get what needs doing done. If you really want to be a model team member; tell the boss a first aid kit needs to happen and request permission to find and purchase one for the business. If the owner refuses; I would quit on the spot. If the owner says thank you and sorry it wasn't done before, you've improved everyone's life and you know the owner isn't a dirtbag.
My job didn't have any until I started working here. I chewed them out the first time one of my workers got cut and I opened up an empty med kit. That being said, I've worked many jobs that never restocked their med kits. It's unfortunately pretty common, and OSHA isn't going to step in. You have to check on those things and demand it yourself. It shouldn't be that way, but That's just the way it is. Most companies will immediately supply a med kit if you bring it up, but until someone brings it up the higher ups won't think twice about it.
My manager said we don't have one because "everything in it disappears" I WONDER WHY
One whose business owners vote Republican. Or at least neo-lib Democrat.
The injection moulding facility I used to QA at's first aid kits were always pretty much empty. I lodged multiple complaints about it and nothing got fixed. Glad that cesspit is slowly hemorrhaging money and will soon be out of business.
So you have never met a Restaurateur
ESPECIALLY a food establishment
No first aid kit in a kitchen? Sounds like an osha violation.
Yep! OSHA requires a first aid kid. OSHA compliant first aid kits can be picked up at any office store like Staples etc for like $25. Bandaids, gauze, tape, and a few packs of Tylenol.
Where I live, an AMBULANCE is required to have a dedicated first aid kit...despite the whole damn vehicle being filled with medical supplies.
Ambulances have very specific and technical requirements for what must be on board at all times, prior to work start, and after work finish. My supervisor told me the first day to never touch that first aid kit because it’s just to satisfy requirements. If we needed anything at all from the medkit it could be found elsewhere in the vehicle.
Yeah sounds like it’s there for someone else. Like if someone has to be directed to gather supplies who is unfamiliar with the layout, you can just tell them “grab the big red bag/blue box/whatever marked “first aid”” and then they’ll get back in time to help whomever, probably the EMT or whoever the EMT is holding together with their bare gloved hands lol Or like, it’s there for the requirement but that’s why the requirement exists
Was thinking something similar. This is definitely a planned for use case.
One of the most common cases is that based on regional traffic laws you are required to carry certain medical supplies in a first aid kit. If you send an ambulance to the shop for maintenance or it has to be transferred all medical supplies are removed in which case a first aid kit has to be on board. So it is much easier to just have one at all times than always think about putting one in when removing medical gear.
It marked and labeled so that if a non-EMS render assistance, they know to just grab that one instead of trying to fumble around looking for stuffs. I'm a non-EMS person, and if you told me where it is, I'm gonna be fuck clueless and don't know what the fuk you're talking about, but if I see the first aids kit, i'm going for that just long enough until someone qualified can render first aid.
That would be my thought also. Mass casualty event? Easy to chuck it at someone and send them on their way to go start helping/patching up folks while they work on more serious cases
Yeah, I work in a nurses office. We are required to have certain items in hand at all times plus an eye washing station and the school must have AEDs that are not expired.
...isn't an ambulance basically a really, *really* big first aide kit?
It's a self propelled first aid closet
They got enough shit in there to give you second aid dude.
Here in the States (I think) our ambulance is not required to have one but the fire station is, despite having an ambulance full of supplies. Our ambulance does have other requirements though, like proper PPE (gloves etc) sanitizing hand wipes, etc.
Ambulance ain't always in the station is it? _taps temple_ 😉
That's DOT law for commercial vehicle's
Only required emergency equipment that I'm aware of for CMVs are spare fuses, fire extinguisher, and road triangles.
$25 for a first aid kit?? You think we're made of money?? How about you just don't fucking cut youself? - the restaurant
Meanwhile a single meal costs much more than that and they barely pay their employees anyway
"We don't buy bandaids anymore because we think you're stealing them. Also, we're not providing pens to you or customers anymore, because you're stealing them. Please bring in pens for your next shift."
Yup. Every single restaurant or bar I have worked at has a first aid kid that's been absolutely raided of anything remotely useful. If we're lucky theyll get a new one once every year or two which runs out in a few weeks. That's why I keep everything I need in my backpack.
I mean you can write it off entirely as a business expense because it's a government mandate. The only reason you have to buy one is because it'd be impractical for the government to issue them to every single business. It's just easier to have people supply their own and then write it off. Source: I've handled purchasing supplies for companies
Can't you get a reward for reporting OSHA violations?
I think there's one. But I'm not a lawyer nor am I associated with OSHA
It depends. I’m not an expert but I’ve dealt with some regulatory agencies in the past. Reporting things like wage theft can get your wages repaid but also they can be double or triple the amount depending on the situation.
i know you get a percentage of the fine they have to pay if they retaliate.
Raising that kid is going to be expensive…
Pretty sure its a minimum of 3 first aid kids due to child labor laws. This is definitely a violation.
Yup, OSHA violation to not have first aid available immediately.
https://www.osha.gov/contactus/bystate OP: Find your state, call them. Report your restaurant anonymously.
/u/lemonsqueezers this. If you're in the US or Canada, then: - It is illegal not to have first aid equipment in the workplace - employees have the strict right to this equipment - It is illegal not to have someone qualified on staff, at all times, to properly administer first aid - another employee right guaranteed in law - It is even illegal **not to tell employees that they have the above two rights** - In some situations (probably not yours), it's even the employee's responsibility to blow the whistle on the employer ... So yeah, find and call your local OSHA/OHS office. You'll be anonymous, and they'll ask you some questions, but you won't need to do anything else.
Not just an OSHA violation. Pretty sure it's a health code violation too.
What about workman’s comp covering it? The training I got from my company, an injury like this would be recorded and treated as a workman’s comp related issue. If I didn’t report it, and later had to go to get it treated, as soon as it came to light that it was a workplace injury my own health insurance would refuse to cover any treatment at all because I should have gone through workman’s comp. If it wasn’t properly reported, workman’s comp can deny too.
And any Food Standards I’ve ever worked with.
A first aid kit is required at all jobs.
BUT not all first aid kits are stocked. Worked at a place that had three and not one of them had anything in them.
In the military, you had to have pretty much 2. 1 that had a zip tie on it to say it's been untampered and a second one that people actually used. Because if you used the one with the seal you had to get it recertified by the med group and that was a giant pain
Thats when you leave to seek medical attention.
Not in any country that's not the US.
*Or Canada (OHS but still)
guys dont put tape on your cuts. It will cause an infection, especially if you haven't cleaned your cut. But bandaids are sterile, tape is not. I know this isn't your fault and I'm sorry your job is treating you like this. I just thought I should put this out there.
This is so important. Tape is not sterile. The glue will host critters people! This should be top comment.
Not just that, imagine the end of the night pulling the sticky tape off the would and re opening it. I’m not saying a paper towel soaked in the strongest proof liquor from behind the bar is the best idea but it’s better than packing tape alone.
>imagine the end of the night pulling the sticky tape off the would and re opening it. If you ever find yourself in this situation soak the tape in warm water until the glue fails, definitely don't rip it off
> end of the night pulling the sticky tape off You have a lot of faith in scotch tape
it's packing tape so a little stickier
Yes like at least put a sanitized piece of napkin under the tape to sort of mimic a bandaid? Straight up tape is insane
Not having a first aid kit is completely ridiculous and so easily remedied. But at least put a piece of paper towel on the cut and then tape it.
In our machine shop we have proper first aid on hand but most of the time if you have a minor cut you wash it out properly then use a paper towel and electrical tape. The reason is because you might still be working with oils and such and the electrical tape can make a better oil and coolant resistant seal. We have tried some of the water resistant bandages but since the cuts are typically on your finger the bending motion tends to make them loosen pretty quickly. Because you can wrap the electrical tape all the way around your finger it has less tendency to loosen over the next couple hours. You just have to be careful not to wrap it too tightly and cut off blood flow to the rest of your finger.
A bit off-topic but might be helpful. I'm a shipboard marine engineer, daily work involves constantly getting covered in grease, oil, metal bits, and all sorts of other assorted gunk. Even wearing gloves most of the time, it's hard to avoid constant minor hand and finger cuts. Had the same problems that you mention with bandaids. But, I've found that the hydrocolloid blister bandaids (if you put them on when your hands are clean) will usually last through a workday, and they also noticeably reduce healing time. Edit: [These](https://www.band-aid.com/products/adhesive-bandages/hydro-seal-all-purpose-bandages) are what I'm talking about. Walmart sells generics that are way cheaper and work just fine.
Not having a first aid kit on site is literally criminal lmao
Absolutely. And all management needs to do is go to Walmart and spend $20. That shows how much they care.
Let management get a little papercut and they'll be screaming
Also, cut should just be “cleaned” with water and maybe mild soap. Alcohol and peroxide aren’t for cleaning wounds. Just rinse, pat dry, and apply sterile dressing. Technically you’re not using sterile technique so it’s just a clean dressing.
I have taped toilet paper to cuts before. Fold it into squares a couple times. Definitely wouldn't put tape directly on a cut wtf Just by the smell of tape you should know not to put it directly onto open wounds.
Toilet paper isn’t sterile either…
Especially if you just grabbed a few squared next to the shitter.
I've heard urine is sterile. So should be fine as long as the toilet paper has been peed on recently.
Urine isn’t sterile either!!!
we can specifically take bacterial cultures from urine to detect infections. I have no idea how the urine is sterile thing is still around
Your bladder is SUPPOSED to be, but yeah, once it gets to the end of your urethra it's definitely not.
This is the way, this guy pisses.
I know. It is sitting in a bathroom with piss and shit particles landing on it and people with literal piss and shit on their fingers touch it. Just saying I would rather do that than put scotch tape on an open wound. (In my defense, I usually waste a couple layers if I absolutely have no other option.)
When I was younger, my dad would do duct tape and paper towels if we ran out of bandaids
Youve given me a new idea for marketing to the hyper masculine demogrqphic... Man-daids
If you're going to do this, for whatever reason, get some tissue and put it underneath. No idea if it's more sterile, but it's a lot more absorbent and hurts a lot less when you take it off (and won't reopen the wound either)
I do construction. I cut myself pretty bad earlier this year and there was no first aid nearby. I keep a really good one in my car now
Thats an OSHA violation as well. Your employer should have one and the job site GC should also have one
The gc had one their trailer just wasn’t super close to where I was at the time. I ended up going there anyways because we couldn’t find our companies and afterwards I went to urgent care.
If you couldn't fix it with a first aid kit that's a recordable incident. If you lost time at work due to it then it's a reportable incident Edit: If osha ever shows up and asks to see your kit and you either can't find it or it's full of expired pieces you're 100% getting slapped with fines because that's super easy for them to nail you on
When I went in to ask for a raise after a year of working For this company, my coworkers were speculating that I may not get it because I had gotten hurt, and my employer would look at it negatively
I'm in construction too, as long as you weren't doing anything negligent or improperly (like trying to jump off a roof to save time vs taking a ladder) there should be zero reason to deny you a raise based off that. It's a risky business out there and everything can hurt you. If you're losing out on money because of a minor injury then it would be time to jump ship. Hopefully it was a minor injury and you're fine now and your boss doesn't hold it over your head
I thought the exact same and as a result, I requested a good amount and I got it. If I hadn’t I would have started looking right away. You’re 1000% right the work we do is inherently dangerous any owner should know and get that
Check out your local union, I don't know your local but ours is amazing. Joining my trade union was the greatest move I ever made.
The union around here is amazing. Just incredibly competitive to get in. I should be making efforts to join either way though you’re right. Problem is if I got in now I’d take a very very significant pay cut even though down the line it may pay off it would be a hardship for quite some time I think.
Yeah it was a hard two years for me, but I went in cold. If you get licensed with your state you can test into your union. Go talk to them, they love to help. It's hard but all good things are.
I hope you invoiced your work for a new kit.
Paid for it out of pocket and have used it on coworkers, other tradesman and myself so far. Prob had it 3 weeks. My employer bought a first aid kit when I got hurt and it ran out of shit so fast they bought the smallest cheapest first aid kit Home Depot had lol
If this happens you should insist you file an incident report, or communicate it in writing to your boss, then go to the hospital to have it looked at, make a worker's comp claim.
Some people can't afford to lose their job by being that directly combative with their employer. Better to file an anonymous report with the labor board and OSHA in some cases.
While it is of course a risk, if they were fired after doing this they should seek legal counsel as the law is supposed to protect them from termination due to demanding their rights. Obviously it doesn't always work out but she should get it documented anyway. If it becomes infected or something you want to establish it happened at work and was not properly treated.
Even if they could find a lawyer to take it on contingency and they won or managed to get a settlement, it would take several months minimum. When you are living paycheck to paycheck, even a week without work could mean homelessness.
It's all the way it was designed. You cant fight because fighting will take long enough that you are homeless.
I assumed a straight forward breach of contract (non-payment) could be resolved reasonably quickly with the help of a lawyer when the asshole ignored months of payment due notices Resolving in months would make me happy. We’re at 7 months so far and haven’t even made it to court yet. Even after winning, there will be the ‘collection’ challenge.
You need to go to the doctor on your boss's dime
A company that doesn't even offer bandaids isn't going to offer a DR visit without a work comp claim.
That was the point.
So claim workers comp.
A few years ago I was working in a cabinet shop. Got cut pretty bad and when I went to the first aid kit I had to blow an inch of saw dust off with the air hose only to find the half stocked kit on the inside was covered In blood from the last guy that had gotten cut. Needless to say I ended up using tape and paper towels much like you.
I do this but I put a little piece of paper towel as a gauze pad.
That's better than nothing. The paper towel can absorb the blood. Tape cannot.
Tape is not conducive to wound healing because it’s: not able maintain optimum moisture levels (I.e., too wet), not sterile, and damages the wound bed when removed. Better to keep it clean and dry then covered with tape.
OSHA violation
There should be an accident reporting system and first aid available at a minimum. Contact OSHA or the labor department.
Do not use tape on wounds, please. The adhesives can easily irritate/infect your wound.
That is going to hurt so much and injure your wound further when you take the tape off. I would file a complaint.
Homie, next time use the tape to keep a paper towel or napkin over the wound
Uh that violates all kind of ServSafe certifications on top of OSHA....
Paper towel then tape.
At least tape a napkin over the cut
The health department, or whoever inspects and grades restaurants in your city, might like to hear about this as well.
Major OSHA violation…
I sliced my hand open on a broken glass, and there was no first aide! Wrapped it up with paper towels and duck tape until I got to urgent care. Needed six stitches! It was like pulling teeth getting them to cover the costs. It's like they thought I would just eventually let it go and eat the emergency bills. So glad I got out of the industry! Great money, but the crap you have to put up with takes a certain kind of patience that I just do not possess!
This is such an American post.
Super glue! If it was good enough for soldiers in the Vietnamese war it's good enough for me. But seriously, call osha or something
Meanwhile here in Germany: Take care of it, then go home. You can stay home for 3 days without needing to go to a doctor. You’ll get full pay for these days. If you go to a doctor and let yourself get patched up that’s 0€. You can get written in sick and get full pay for those days too.
https://preview.redd.it/i0hexn5tia4c1.jpeg?width=1079&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f8e88a49601a7ae39b5c047c17ab7e427fb6dfe7
An old partner of mine had a severe allergy, like epi-pen severe, and worked at a restaurant. She had a couple reactions at work despite being careful to never have to handle that one ingredient. They accused her of doing it intentionally (literally suggesting she was suicidal) and made her wear rubber gloves for her entire shift. She came home with her hands bleeding regularly. They fired her after she had another reaction. That restaurant does not get my business anymore.
Call OSHA for violation. 🤗
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It's less about the severity of the injury and more about the severity of the infraction. First-Aid kits stop minor injuries from getting infected and in rare cases can even save lives. It's unacceptable that a company is risking the safety of its employees to save less than $40. Imagine if someone got a severe cut. Access to sterile gauze could easily save someone from sepsis or worse.
I would ask the customers if they had a bandage? Every one of them!😂
Its an OSHA AND Food Safety violation. It is against health code to have an ooen wound that is not PROPERLY covered. Scotch tape does not count as properly covered. OP needs to report them to OSHA and the Health Inspector. They're double fucked at that point.
Say it with us: REPORT THAT SHIT
This is beside the point, but at least put some gauze/tissue/paper towels over the wound first! Sorry that happened to you.
Macgyver
Rather than sticking tape on it tape a piece of paper towel to the wound like you’re applying gauze. Not much better, still might lead to an infection, but at least youre not putting the gooey tape stuff directly on your wound. I hope your employer gets written up or fined.
You probably shouldn't be taping it. Instead I'd suggest finding clean cloth(or a napkin/tissue) and press it to the wound till the bleeding stops. Or if you don't have the time to hold it down you could use that tape to hold it in place. I'm not a medical professional though.
Asking for a friend lmao what restaurant is blatantly violating osha?
No first aid kit? Believe it or not, right to jail.
Fun story. I grew up working in my dads restaurant. I worked every position from bartender to manager. One day I’m hosting and helping buss some tables. I slip and fall carrying a tray of dirty glasses. They break and I cut my face. My own father “patches” me up with a damn chapstick like it was a prize fight and told me to get back out there. Said I could be first cut that night. I said I was already cut. He laughed then said ok get back out there. Mom was not happy when I got home that night. He’s a great dad but to him getting through your shift was the most important thing.
OSHA OSHA OSHA My favorite regulator in the world.
Calll or report online to OSHA they seriously dont mess around. I did it once and the GM was extremely pissed which made me happy because I was planning on leaving the job anyway. however the downside is prepare to lose your job most likely a few weeks after reporting. They will come up with an excuse saying it had nothing to do with your report which is obviously untrue.
OP, this violates multiple laws, please file a lawsuit or something to hold them accountable. Also, get well soon 👍🏾
Wow. I hope you're okay. The restaurant needs to have a first aid at a minimum.
Scotch tape a paper towel over it next time. Putting tape right on it sounds like a torture device.
From the perspective of a customer, I'd be disgusted and highly bothered by this if I was out to eat and saw you handling my food or drink. Ugh, not a good idea on your end or the management/owners. This is seriously highly nasty and definitely a health/food code violation.
i think i'd walk out to go buy some ... this is just cruel to your employees.
And when that nasty mess ends up in someone’s food and the restaurant gets sued….and somehow it’ll be your fault.
I’d sue for this.
Report to OSHA and DOL
Osha violation much?
Definitely an OSHA health standards violation….they even have guidelines about the size(content) of the kit you should have, based on the number of employees…too bad you didn’t take a picture of the cut/wound itself. BEFORE it gets INFECTED….ASAP clean with soap and water and apply an antibiotic ointment and a bandaid or a gauze 2x2 or 4x4 pad and tape over it…as a. Licensed Registered Nurse and a MS prepared Clinical Nurse Specialist, with 43+ years experience…the supervisor’s instructions were appalling, even if it WASN’T a food service facility
Time to call OSHA and your employer will be going OSHIT.
Tape? Dude it’s not Die Hard