I am in the process of updating my tug’s first aid supplies for vetting. I am being stymied by these silly expiration dates.
I just bought a brand new box of Medi-Meclizine and it expires 06/19 so I can only have it on board (at least in the first aid kit) for 1 year and 5 months.
We have software that tracks the important stuff like Epirb registration, Hydro release etc, but I can’t see putting in every little box of aspirin and antiseptic wipes.
Does anyone have a good workaround? We would like to avoid the discrepancies that we just received. I have already tossed, I mean eliminated as much of the fluff carrying expirations as I could.
Most stuff in a first aid kit doesn’t have expiration dates, the few things that do just put on an Excel spreadsheet and print out put. Tape the printout on the cover on the kit so you can verify your stuff is in date during the monthly inspection. Also, seal the kit so people don’t raid it without notifying the person in charge.
Yup. Excel spreadsheet. Sort data by column, dates. Want to get really fancy? put a macro on it and get the dates to change colors when they are due to expire.
This is one of the most common things overlooked and/or pencil-whipped.
From what I can suggest other than what’s already been offered is simplify the contents, if you can.
Some companies have a third party vendor visit the vessel every quarter to go thru the medicine chest/first aid kit as well, however the crew should check items for expirations themselves of course.
How many items with expiration dates do you have? Simplify that inventory if you can. You may not need, say, three or four different kinds of NSAIDs or indigestion treatments. Then track it on a spreadsheet.
Agree with you there. Bare bones needed. No, I am not a physician and this is not a hospital.
I will stabilize your condition as best able and get you ashore to a real place of medicine.
I printed out our companies list of medicine chest items for reorder and taped it to the front. I also write the date of expiration on each of the boxes of stuff that expires (so I can see it better). Then each month on my first day or so in I go through and reorder anything that’s expiring that month. I also initial and date the front of the order form so I have a " history of professionalism" for the auditors. For a tug crew it works well. Don’t forget to check the dates on any eyewash stations around the boat.