Setting Up a First Aid Kit for Your Workplace

Start with your risk assessment

A first aid kit is not just a box you buy once and forget. It is a direct response to the hazards your team faces every day. Before you order anything, take half an hour to think about what could realistically happen on your premises. Do you have a workshop with sharp tools and heavy materials? A kitchen with hot surfaces and knives? An office where the worst risk might be a paper cut or a dropped mug? The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) requires every workplace to have adequate first aid provision, and that starts with a proper risk assessment. Consider the number of staff, whether you work shifts, how many visitors you welcome, and whether anyone works alone or off-site. The answers will shape the size and contents of your kit.

The core contents of a workplace kit

Most pre-packed workplace kits follow British Standard BS 8599-1, which gives you a reliable baseline. A good kit will include:

• Plasters in assorted sizes, including blue detectable plasters if you handle food.
• Sterile dressings of various sizes, plus eye pads and triangular bandages.
• Nitrile gloves (several pairs) and a resuscitation face shield.
• Burn dressings and a foil blanket for shock.
• Scissors, safety pins, adhesive tape and moist wipes.
• A guidance card that walks you through basic first aid steps.

You generally should not include tablets or medicines. HSE advice is to avoid them unless a trained first aider has specifically risk-assessed and authorised their use. If you do include anything, keep it clearly labelled and in date.

Tailoring your kit to your workplace hazards

Off-the-shelf kits are a starting point, not a finished job. Add items that match your specific risks. In a kitchen, burns are common, so include burn gel sachets and a larger burn dressing. Blue plasters are essential because they show up if they fall into food. In a workshop or warehouse, eye injuries and crush injuries are more likely, so stock extra eye pads, eyewash pods and large trauma dressings. If you use chemicals, check the safety data sheets; some substances require specific antidotes or immediate eyewash stations. For offices, a standard kit is usually enough, but consider hand sanitiser and a small mirror for eye irritations. Lone workers should carry a personal first aid kit in their vehicle or bag, along with a mobile phone and clear emergency contact details.

Where to keep it and how many kits you need

Location matters as much as contents. Keep kits in a clearly marked, accessible place that everyone knows about. Do not lock them in a manager's office or hide them behind boxes. As a rough guide, a low-risk workplace with fewer than 25 staff needs at least one small kit. A medium kit suits 25 to 100 low-risk staff, or fewer than 25 in a higher-risk setting. Large kits are for 100+ low-risk staff or 25 to 100 higher-risk staff. If you have multiple floors, separate buildings or vehicles, provide a kit for each. Off-site workers and drivers should have a travel kit that is checked just as regularly as the main one.

Keeping it stocked, checked and understood

A first aid kit is only useful if it is complete and in date. Appoint a responsible person to check it monthly. Use a simple checklist: count the plasters, check expiry dates on dressings and eyewash, and replace anything that has been used. Record the check so you can show due diligence if an inspector asks. Make sure all staff know where the kit is, who the first aiders are, and how to call for help. Regular first aid training, such as emergency first aid at work, gives your team confidence to act. Refresh training every three years, and consider annual refreshers for key staff. Finally, keep an accident book nearby. It helps you spot patterns and improve your health and safety over time. A well-prepared kit is a small investment that protects your people and your business.