Our first aid training team visit workplaces up and down the country to run courses. We’re often asked to have a look at workplace first aid kits to see if they are up to scratch.
It’s surprising how many times we find an old ice-cream tub on the top of the fridge in the staff kitchen. Lurking at the bottom are 3 plasters and a couple of safety pins that haven’t been nabbed for wardrobe malfunctions. Yet.
In this article we answer the following FAQ’s:
- What is the HSE first aid kit box contents list?
- What are the minimum requirements for workplace first aid kits?
- Is there a first aid box standard checklist?
Reading time: 4 minutes
What the HSE says about workplace first aid kits:
“Every employer should provide appropriate first aid equipment to allow first aid to be given in an emergency. Regulations apply to all workplaces including those with five or less employees and the self-employed. Provision should also be made for those who travel as part of their job.”
The Health and Safety Executive also suggest the minimum contents a workplace should have. However, these are widely considered to be out of date, having not been updated for over 30 years.
In 2011, a new British Standard First Aid Kit was with items to suit modern-day workplaces.
More recently, in addition to the standard first aid kits for workplaces, the HSE recommends ‘personal issue’ first aid kits (in normal lingo, an individual mini kit, to you and me). These are for first aiders’ roles, security, maintenance, and so on. New regulations have come into place following their plea to become more user-friendly and fit for purpose. It means these roles will be in a position to take immediate action and provide peace of mind. Choosing to invest in one of these additional packs, the HSE say, ‘is a clear and definitive way for employers to demonstrate they are serious about meeting their legal obligations under the Health & Safety First Aid Regulations’. These new packs come in the form of a bum bag, wallet, bag and box. Oh, the choices!
Workplace First Aid Kits Management
These top tips will help make sure that your workplace always has suitable first aid kit contents:
- It is important for workplaces to customise their first aid kit to suit their needs.
- Workplaces should check the contents of their kit regularly, ensuring that any sterile items that have become out of date are replaced.
- If a workplace has over 5 or more employees they should also have an accident report book, that is data protection compliant. Read our guide to GDPR and accident reporting here.
- It is a requirement to place signs at the premises, making clear who the first aiders are, how to contact them, and the location of kits. We provide this free-of-charge to all of our First Aid Training Course clients every year.
If you’d like any more information about first aid kits or supplies, head over to our online shop.
If you have any questions or comments, please post them below. Or, you can call us on 0330 335 1234 and we’ll be happy to help.
The bottom line: Workplace first aiders need the right tools for the job.
Looking after first aid kits needn’t be a hassle, and is easily managed using these free templates.
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