Risk perception is a tricky thing. While risk is real, how it’s perceived is in the eye of the beholder. And all too often, the severity of a risk doesn’t necessarily dictate the attention it gets.

According to an article from Environmental Health Perspectives, “Risk perception is a highly personal process of decision making, based on an individual’s frame of reference developed over a lifetime, among many other factors. A body of research from the past several decades makes it clear that when it come [sic] to making decisions about health and safety, we don’t always worry the most about the most pressing threats.”

Risk compensation is a phenomenon in which people adjust their behavior based on their perceived level of risk. This means that when people feel safer, they take more risks. When it comes to driving, vehicles with blind spot detection technology can cause drivers to stop doing shoulder checks. On a jobsite, workers wearing cut-resistant gloves as PPE may stop taking their time when using utility knives because they perceive there are no risks—the PPE will protect them.

Another factor in risk compensation has to do with first aid kits. When people perceive that the protection of something like a first aid kit is available, they may unconsciously pay less attention to hazards—justifying the consequences of a minor incident as manageable and subsequently taking more risks. 

To be clear, first aid kits are an essential feature of any workplace. Workers should be able to readily access a well-stocked first aid kit at all times. But it’s also important for safety professionals to be aware of how first aid kits can inadvertently skew workers’ risk perception.

The risk compensation caused by first aid kits can also dampen the chances of people analyzing close calls, which is a key safety practice similar to reporting near misses and is also part of SafeStart’s human factors management practices. Remedying small cuts or minor injuries with a first aid kit close by can lead to the incident being forgotten once the bandage is applied.

And what happens when the complacency of not thinking about risks transfers to first aid kit maintenance? It’s not uncommon for people to neglect first aid kit maintenance. Since people don’t use first aid kits often, many workplaces overlook the need to check for expired or depleted items.

Fortunately, safety professionals can take steps to reduce first aid kit-induced complacency. A regular inspection schedule can go a long way to keeping first aid kits well-stocked. Be sure to make sure inspections happen on an annual basis, if not more frequently, and that inspections check for both items that are missing and items that have expired (or are about to expire).  

Most first aid kits (regardless of their purpose, intended number of users or location) will include:

• Adhesive bandages (expiry: two years—they lose their stickiness and they may no longer be sterile)
• Alcohol wipes or other hand sanitizers (expiry: two years—alcohol slowly evaporates, making them less effective)
• Bandages and sterile dressings (expiry: three years—lose sterility over time)
• First aid booklet (expiry: three to five years—ensure it’s up to date)
• Antiseptic liquid/saline for cleaning (expiry: one year—loses efficacy over time)
• Gels, creams, ointments and sprays (expiry: two years—expired products can cause reduced effectiveness)
• Instant cold packs (check expiry date—bag can become brittle, leak, or the chemicals can solidify)
• Medication like chewable Aspirin tablets (check manufacturer’s expiry date—usually two to three years)
• Personal protective equipment—masks, non-latex gloves (expiry: three to five years—becomes brittle and breaks down)
• Scissors and tweezers (do not expire: inspect regularly for rust, corrosion, or damage—can become blunt, broken, or unhygienic over time)

Communication with workers can also rein in risk compensation. One good option is a toolbox talk in the workplace or setting a schedule for checking your home or vehicle kits can help. Be sure to discuss the human factors that impact risk perception, risk compensation and first aid kit maintenance in your toolbox talk. 

First aid kits can reduce the severity of incidents, and they should be made available across a worksite (and people should have them at home, too). But if you’re not careful, it can also contribute to complacency. By implementing an inspection schedule that includes both missing and expired items, and by discussing first aid kits with workers are part of toolbox talks and safety meetings, you can stop risk compensation in its tracks.