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Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 7:10 pm Post subject: Old medical supplies

Luckily, I suppose, I don't tend to use many items in the couple of medical kits I have handy before they run out of date. I do like to keep them handy as I occasionally do something daft like stick something in my eye, set my hand on fire or a loved one tries to bleed to death.

So, can bandages, plasters etc be used past their use-by-dates? If not should they just be binned?

If they have to be replaced does anyone know of where long life kits could be obtained from, something that would last for 10+ years or so?

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 7:19 pm Post subject:
In an emergency any clean (not sterile) bandage or strapping will do. Infections (unlikley) can be treated, stemming the blood flow or covering a wound is more important until medical help can be secured. Disclaimer: I know nowt Last edited by Went on Wed Aug 08, 12 7:36 pm; edited 1 time in total

oldish chris

Joined: 14 Jun 2006
Posts: 4148
Location: Comfortably Wet Southport

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 7:32 pm Post subject:
Can I get this straight, you want to buy something that you are unlikely to use during the next 10 years? Minor cuts, wash under fast flowing tap-water, apply digital pressure until the bleeding stops. Send someone to the shops for a suitable plaster or bandage.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 7:51 pm Post subject:

oldish chris wrote:

Can I get this straight, you want to buy something that you are unlikely to use during the next 10 years?

Ideally, yes. I've got fire extinguishers and smoke alarms etc and they've never been used but I'm more than happy to have them - it's not a strange concept. I also didn't realise all medical kits are pointless.

Although I would have thought it was obvious to make my point as clear as possible, I have a couple of medical kits and some items get used and replaced but many do not and reach the end of their stated life. This often seems to be only two years or so so does anyone know of any makes that would last much longer?

sally_in_wales
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Joined: 06 Mar 2005
Posts: 20809
Location: sunny wales

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 8:08 pm Post subject:

With things like bandages and plasters, I might be tempted to double seal the packages, for example, put all the wrapped bandages and plasters inside something like a fresh gripseal bag and seal it down with the air squashed out. I think some of the sell-by date on plasters is a failsafe in case the packaging seals don't hold up well over time, and an extra wrap would help you feel confident that they remain clean and dry

Ty Gwyn

Joined: 22 Sep 2010
Posts: 4613
Location: Lampeter

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 8:43 pm Post subject:
The only thing that goes wrong with old plasters,is the sticky is nt as good,bandages are only linen/cotton,as long as their clean,they will last your lifetime. In emergency to stop bleeding,some cobwebs will be suffice,even antiseptic in their make up,or a chew of bacco.

NorthernMonkeyGirl

Joined: 10 Apr 2011
Posts: 4630
Location: Peeping over your shoulder

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 8:53 pm Post subject:

How hi-tech is your current kit?
Ye olde bandages were cotton / linen etc, but modern ones have anti-microbial gubbins and all sorts impregnated - eventually the stuff degrades and you open a packet of powder. This was told to us on a first aid course; now I don't know whether Tesco Value bandages will run to antibacterial coatings, but he made it sound like it was pretty much standard now.

Yes, in a real emergency anything will do - tea towels, hankies, cling film etc etc.

Treacodactyl
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Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 9:21 pm Post subject:
I know in an emergency I could make do but it's not that hard to have something more appropriate at hand. I would have thought there should be suitable long life equipment around, after all employers, clubs etc have to have medical kits and they will have to contain items in date. I bet there's loads of stuff binned each year.

jamanda
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 22 Oct 2006
Posts: 35057
Location: Devon

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 9:37 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

I know in an emergency I could make do but it's not that hard to have something more appropriate at hand.

I would have thought there should be suitable long life equipment around, after all employers, clubs etc have to have medical kits and they will have to contain items in date. I bet there's loads of stuff binned each year.

There is. Mostly pointlessly.

Either cope with having things past their date in your box, or throw things away and buy new.

I tend to sort out once a year, but sealed bandages etc stay what ever.

Mustang

Joined: 15 Jul 2005
Posts: 768
Location: Sunny Suffolk

Posted: Wed Aug 08, 12 9:42 pm Post subject:

oldish chris wrote:

... apply digital pressure until the bleeding stops

I've now got this image of someone pressing an ipad onto a cut!

But I'm sure there's an app for that.

.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 12 7:21 am Post subject:

Jamanda wrote:

Either cope with having things past their date in your box, or throw things away and buy new.

I tend to sort out once a year, but sealed bandages etc stay what ever.

Silly me for trying to reduce waste. A fair bit of what I have is well past it's use by date and as I don't know the exact reasons for those dates it seems reasonable not to want to use them. Even sealed in the average kit aren't air-tight.

Yes I can buy new and chuck the old unused stuff away every couple of years but what's so wrong about trying to see if there's any longer-life stuff available to reduce waste?

bagpuss

Joined: 09 Dec 2004
Posts: 10507
Location: cambridge

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 12 7:28 am Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

Yes I can buy new and chuck the old unused stuff away every couple of years but what's so wrong about trying to see if there's any longer-life stuff available to reduce waste?

There isn't anything wrong with trying to reduce waste but in this instance you might struggle to find things

Pilsbury

Joined: 13 Dec 2004
Posts: 5645
Location: East london/Essex

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 12 8:52 am Post subject:
I tend to claim the out of date stuff they throw away from work, then keep it till they throw out the next lot and bin mine and replace it with the new out of rate stuff, my reasoning is it gets 2 chances of being used, it is free and my stuff is only ever 2 years out of date lol.

Went

Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 6968

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 12 9:04 am Post subject:
We all know that in the majority of cases sell by and use by dates are a complete waste and a marketing company's dream tool.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Thu Aug 09, 12 12:19 pm Post subject:

Gawber wrote:

We all know that in the majority of cases sell by and use by dates are a complete waste and a marketing company's dream tool.

There's rational thinking behind most though and if I'm confident I'll ignore some or at least make an educated guess.

With medical supplies I don't know much about them. I've just rootled through my kit and there's bandages that have a life of around 2 years and they're 6 years out of date. There's a disinfectant dressing that's a couple of years out of date and I wouldn't have a clue if that just means it's not as effective as it could be or if it might cause other problems.

But that's all beside the point, which is if you want/need stuff to be in date are there any sort of supplies that have a longer than normal date on them.

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