A first aid kit is an essential requirement for every workplace in the UK. Whatever their size, all places of work should have a first aid box that’s stocked with an inventory of items suited to the risks present in the environment. To understand which equipment is necessary, you’ll first need to carry out a first aid needs assessment.
This guide explains what should be in a first aid kit. As the equipment varies depending on the risks present, we’ll initially explore the first aid items you might need for a low-risk workplace like an office and then move on to consider environments that pose a greater health and safety risk. We’ll also look at where to buy first aid kits that are appropriate for your place of work.
If you would like to further your first aid skills we also offer a range of first aid courses.
First aid kit contents
There is no fixed legal list of items a workplace first aid kit must contain, but you are legally required to provide adequate first aid equipment based on your needs assessment. Provided that you have a first aid box on-site and you’re satisfied that it contains all of the necessary items based on your needs assessment, then you have met the legal requirements.
That said, HSE provides a useful guide on the items you should have in a minimum first aid kit for an environment in which work activities are low-risk. We’ll consider this first, and then move on to think about first aid box contents for workplaces where employees are at greater risk.
Low-risk working environments
When considering what should be in a first aid box for a low-risk environment such as an office, it is useful to start with the basic inventory outlined by HSE. This list recommends that you have:
- A leaflet explaining the basics of first aid (HSE provides a free ‘Basic advice on first aid at work’ leaflet that you can download and print out for this purpose);
- Plasters of assorted sizes – these should be individually wrapped and sterile;
- Individually wrapped and sterile triangle bandages;
- Safety pins;
- Sterile eye pads;
- Unmedicated wound dressings in medium and large sizes (individually wrapped and sterile);
- Disposable gloves (preferably nitrile).
Additional first aid equipment will depend on the risks identified in your assessment. However, a typical low-risk environment like an office may also benefit from a first aid kit containing the following:
- Sterile disposable tweezers;
- Disposable aprons;
- Clothing shears;
- Microporous tape (adhesive and hypoallergenic if possible);
- Tourniquets;
- Foil blankets;
- Burn dressings;
- Sterile eyewash.
These items will be included in all British Standard BS 8599 first aid kits.
It’s important to note that first aid kits should not contain any medication or tablets.
High-risk working environments
First aid needs assessments for high-risk workplaces such as building sites and professional kitchens will likely identify that additional first aid equipment is required. Kits for these types of working environments will need supplies that relate to the specific risks that employees are exposed to.
With this in mind, the sections below provide examples of different types of high-risk workplaces, considering the extra first aid kit you might need in each case. Remember that these working environments would still benefit from the basic HSE first aid inventory outlined above.
Construction sites
Employees working in construction are more likely to get injured at work than those based in offices and other low-risk environments. HSE’s latest construction statistics indicate that the most common causes of injury include falls from a height, being trapped by an overturned object, and being struck by a falling object.
With these more serious risks in mind, first aid kits for construction sites will likely need all of the basic first aid equipment outlined above as well as:
- Tourniquets and haemostatic dressings to stop severe bleeding;
- Finger dressings;
- Saline eye pads;
- Eye baths;
- Sterile eye pads;
- Clothing shears;
- Adhesive hypoallergenic microporous tape;
- Foil blankets;
- Burn dressings and gels;
- Clinical waste bags.
This inventory is intended to give an idea of the types of equipment that construction sites may require – your site’s first aid kit should be based on the findings of your first aid needs assessment, so you may find that you need more than just the items listed here.
For construction environments, it’s also worth investing in a heavy-duty box to keep all of your first aid equipment protected.
Catering environments
Common causes of injury in high-risk catering environments such as commercial kitchens include burns and cuts. As well as the basic first aid kit outlined above, cooking and food preparation environments may also want to consider:
- Full burns kits, including burn plasters, dressings, bandages, and gels;
- Finger dressings;
- Foil blankets;
- Waterproof plasters;
- Eyewash kits containing eye baths and solution.
Your first aid needs assessment may identify that you need additional equipment that isn’t listed here – this list only provides an indication of the type of items you might want for a catering first aid kit.
How many first aid kits should a workplace have?
British Standard BS 8599 offers suggestions for how many first aid kits a workplace should have as well as the size of these kits. For help matching a kit to your workplace’s risk level and number of employees, see our guide on how to choose the right first aid kit for your workplace. The recommendations depend on how many employees there are and the hazards in the working environment.
The following guidelines apply to low-risk environments:
- For less than 25 employees, one small kit is recommended;
- For workplaces with 25-100 employees, one medium kit is recommended;
- Environments with more than 100 employees should have one large first aid kit per 100 employees.
Additional first aid kits are recommended for high-risk workplaces:
- One small kit is suggested for environments with up to five employees;
- For high-risk workplaces with 5-25 employees, one medium first aid kit is recommended;
- High-risk environments with more than 25 employees are advised to have one large first aid kit for every 25 employees.
What should be in a home first aid kit?
Accidents don’t only happen at work. The National Accident Helpline reports that the home is the most common place for accidents, with the kitchen the most dangerous room. A well-stocked home kit lets you deal with everyday cuts, burns, sprains and bumps straight away — and in a serious emergency, such as heavy bleeding, it can save a life.
A good home or general-purpose first aid kit should include the following, and it helps to know what each item is for:
- Bandages — treat minor cuts and grazes, and can support or immobilise a limb after a sprain, fracture or dislocation.
- Adhesive dressings (plasters) — cover small cuts and abrasions; keep assorted sizes.
- Gauze dressings — cover larger wounds and can be used together with bandages and tape.
- Disposable gloves — protect against infection when dealing with blood or other bodily fluids.
- Antiseptic wipes or cream — clean a wound and reduce the risk of infection.
- Tweezers — remove splinters, glass or ticks.
- Scissors — cut dressings and tape, or clothing to reach an injury.
- Cold packs — reduce swelling from sprains, strains and knocks.
- A foil (space) blanket — keep someone warm if they are in shock.
- Adhesive tape and safety pins — hold dressings, slings or splints in place.
- A first aid manual — a step-by-step reference when you need one.
- A torch with spare batteries — to see what you are doing and to signal in the dark.
Unlike a workplace kit, a home kit can also hold over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol or ibuprofen (HSE guidance is that workplace first aid kits should not contain medication). If you have young children, add plenty of plasters and a thermometer. If anyone in the household relies on prescribed emergency medication — for example an adrenaline auto-injector or a reliever inhaler — keep it somewhere known and easy to reach.
Knowing what is in your kit is only half the story; you also need to know how to use it. A basic first aid course gives you the confidence to treat injuries correctly at home or at work.
Where to buy a first aid kit
Pre-packaged first aid kits are widely available online and in stores. Wherever you buy them, be sure to look for kits that conform to British Standard BS 8599, which will ensure that you’ve got all of the recommended equipment as a minimum.
Screwfix sells a range of first aid kits in sizes that adhere to the BS 8599 recommendations on small, medium, and large workplace kits, as well as equipment designed for specific situations such as motor travel and burns.
This guide has explained what should be in a first aid kit for your workplace. Whilst there are no specific legal requirements regarding first aid kit contents, we’ve looked at recommended equipment for a range of low- and high-risk working environments.
If you or your employees need first aid qualifications, take a look at our range of first aid training courses. Alternatively, get in touch today to find out more.
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