First Aid at Work: What Your Business Actually Needs

Ask most business owners where their first-aid kit is, and they can point to it straight away.

Ask what is inside it, when it was last checked or whether it still suits the workplace, and the answer may be less certain.

That matters because workplace first aid is not a one-size-fits-all box that you buy once and forget about.

What does the law require?

Under the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981, employers must provide adequate and appropriate first-aid equipment, facilities and people.

What is adequate and appropriate will be different for every business.

The starting point is a first-aid needs assessment.

This is a straightforward review of:

• the work you carry out;

• your workplace hazards and risks;

• the number of people you employ;

• your working hours and shift patterns;

• lone, remote or travelling workers;

• holidays and other staff absences;

• your history of workplace accidents.

This assessment helps you decide what equipment you need and whether you require appointed people, trained first-aiders or both.

What should be in the first-aid kit?

The contents of your kit should reflect the findings of your first-aid needs assessment.

For a lower-risk, office-based workplace, a basic kit may include:

• individually wrapped plasters;

• sterile dressings;

• sterile eye pads;

• triangular bandages;

• safety pins;

• disposable gloves;

• basic first-aid guidance.

You may see kits that meet British Standard BS 8599-1. This can be a useful starting point, but it is not a legal requirement. What matters is that the contents are suitable for your workplace.

The kit should also be checked regularly. Replace dated items when they expire and make sure undated items remain clean, undamaged and fit for purpose.

Appointed person or trained first-aider?

Every workplace needs someone to take charge of its first-aid arrangements.

An appointed person looks after the equipment and facilities and calls the emergency services when needed. They do not require formal first-aid training and should not be described as a trained first-aider unless they hold the appropriate qualification.

Your assessment may show that you also need one or more trained first-aiders. The number and level of training will depend on your workplace, risks, staffing and working arrangements.

You should also consider what happens when your appointed person or first-aider is absent.

Your five-minute first-aid check:

Take a few minutes to consider:

✅ Has a first-aid needs assessment been completed?

✅ Does your kit reflect your actual workplace risks?

✅ Have dated items been checked and expired items replaced?

✅ Are undated items still clean and fit for purpose?

✅ Do employees know where the kit is kept?

✅ Do they know who the appointed person or first-aider is?

✅ Is suitable cover available during holidays, sickness and different working hours?

✅ Have your workplace, staffing levels or activities changed?

There is no need to panic, but there is a need to plan.

What should you do next?

If you are unsure about your current arrangements, it is worth reviewing them now rather than discovering a gap when somebody needs help.

Health and safety does not need to make first aid complicated.

It is simply about having the right equipment and people in place, checking the arrangements regularly and making sure employees know what to do.

Your Company Works can help you review your first-aid provision and understand what your business needs.

Book a free 20-minute online chat with Paula for calm, practical and straightforward guidance.

Paula Santomauro

📞 07799 533094
📧 paula@yourcompanyworks.com