It is essential that you carry out an assessment of the first aid needs of your workplace as the Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations 1981 require all employers to ensure that adequate equipment, facilities and personnel are provided to enable for first aid to be given.
Similar to trained staff, there is no set rule for the amount of first aid kits required in your business. However a brief overview of what you might want to consider is included in this post.
Carry out risk assessment based on activities, infrastructure and staff levels in business.
Use the tables within this article to help guide you on understanding what you need to have in place.
Purchase first aid kits that are compliant with BS8599-1:2019.
First Aid Trained Staff
What do I need to consider?
There are a range of things that all employees must consider when assessing their first aid needs. These include:
The risk of injury and ill health in the workplace
Specific risks in the workplace e.g. working with hazardous substances
Varying levels of risk in different areas
Previous accident and ill-health history
Number and age of employees on site
Inexperienced workers, employees with disabilities or with special health problems
The number of buildings or floors on the premises
Shift work or out of hours work
Location of the workplace relative to emergency medical services
Employees who travel as part of their job or work from home
Employees that work on sites belonging to other employers
Any work experience trainees or other minors on site
If the site is open to the public and how many visitors are expected on the premises
Only once all these aspects have been considered can an assessment be made on the first aid requirements for your workplace. Although and AED is mot mandatory it should still be considered as best practice.
It is recommended that someone is able to always undertake first aid duties when people are at work.
The current advice regarding the type of qualifications workplace first aiders should have is as follows:
This table shows which first aid qualification a first aider would need to have, from this you can consider if you need the First Aid at Work (FAW) or Emergency First Aid at Work course (EFAW).
Additional training may be required as identified in your risk assessment of first aid needs, this could be added on to courses such as the EFAW, it may be included in the FAW, or can be arranged as separate training.
The current advice regarding the number workplace first aiders is as follows:
Category of hazard Number of employees Suggest number of first aid personnel
Low hazard Up to 50 At least one appionted person
50-100 At least one first aider
More than 100 One further first aider per 100 staff
Medium hazard Up to 20 At least one appionted person
20-100 At least one first aider per 50 staff
More than 100 One additional first aider per 50 staff
High hazard Up to 5 At least one appionted person
5-50 At least one first aider per 50 staff
More than 50 One further first aider per 50 staff
Low hazard could be considered as: shops, offices and libraries,
Medium hazard could be considered as: light engineering, assembly work, food processing and warehousing,
High hazard could be considered as: construction, chemical manufacturing, dangerous machinery and sharp instruments.
First Aid Kits
The current advice regarding workplace first aid kits is as follows:
Category of hazard Number of employees Size of first aid kit
Low hazard Less than 25 Small size kit
25-100 Medium size kit
More than 100 1 large kit per 100 employees
High hazard Less than 5 Small size kit
5-25 Medium size kit
More than 25 1 large kit per 25 employees
What are the contents for the new BS8599-1:2019 compliant first aid kits?
BS8599-1:2019 has 6 compliant first aid kits, workplace in small, medium and large, travel and motoring kit, a personal issue kit and a critical injury pack. Please see contents listed below for each.
BS8599-1:2019 Workplace First Aid Kit Small Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Medium 12 x 12cm Dressing x 2
Large 18 x 18cm Dressing x 2
Triangular Bandage x 2
No.16 Eye Pad and Bandage x 2
Assorted Washproof Plasters x 40
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 20
Microporous Tape 2.5cm x 10m x 1
Nitrile Gloves (Pairs) x 6
Finger Dressing 3.5cm x 3.5cm x 2
Resusciade x 1
Foil Blanket x 1
Burn Dressing 10cm x 10cm x 1
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Conforming Bandage 7.5cm x 4m x 1
BS8599-1:2019 Workplace First Aid Kit Medium Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Medium 12 x 12cm Dressing x 4
Large 18 x 18cm Dressing x 3
Triangular Bandage x 3
No.16 Eye Pad and Bandage x 3
Assorted Washproof Plasters x 60
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 30
Microporous Tape 2.5cm x 10m x 2
Nitrile Gloves (Pairs) x 9
Finger Dressing 3.5cm x 3.5cm x 3
Resusciade x 1
Foil Blanket x 2
Burn Dressing 10cm x 10cm x 2
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Conforming Bandage 7.5cm x 4m x 2
BS8599-1:2019 Workplace First Aid Kit Large Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Medium 12 x 12cm Dressing x 6
Large 18 x 18cm Dressing x 4
Triangular Bandage x 4
No.16 Eye Pad and Bandage x 4
Assorted Washproof Plasters x 100
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 40
Microporous Tape 2.5cm x 10m x 3
Nitrile Gloves (Pairs) x 12
Finger Dressing 3.5cm x 3.5cm x 4
Resusciade x 2
Foil Blanket x 3
Burn Dressing 10cm x 10cm x 2
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Conforming Bandage 7.5cm x 4m x 2
BS8599-1:2019 Travel and Motoring First Aid Kit Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Medium 12 x 12cm Dressing x 1
Triangular Bandage x 1
Washproof Plasters x 10
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 10
Nitrile Gloves (Pair) x 2
Resusciade x 1
Foil Blanket x 1
Burn Dressing 10cm x 10cm x 2
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Low Adherent Wound Pad 7cm x 6cm x 1
Trauma Dressing 10cm x 18cm x 1
BS8599-1:2019 Personal Issue First Aid Kit Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Large 18cm x 18cm Dressing x 1
Triangular Bandage x 1
Washproof Plasters x 10
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 4
Nitrile Gloves (Pair) x 2
Resusciade x 1
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Foil Blanket x 1
BS8599-1:2019 Critical Injury First Aid Kit Contents:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Nitrile Gloves (Pair) x 2
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Large Trauma Dressing 15cm x 18cm x 2
Haemostatic Wound Dressing x 2
Tourniquet x 1
Foil Blanket x 1
The BS8599-1:2011 Compliant Travel First Aid Kit has been completely replaced by the content below. This now forms the BS8599-1:2019 Compliant Travel and Motoring Kit:
Guidance Leaflet x 1
Contents Label x 1
Medium 12 x 12cm Dressing x 1
Triangular Bandage x 1
Washproof Plasters x 10
Moist Cleansing Wipes x 10
Nitrile Gloves (Pair) x 2
Resusciade x 1
Foil Blanket x 1
Burn Dressing 10cm x 10cm x 2
Heavy Duty Clothing Shears x 1
Low Adherent Wound Pad 7cm x 6cm x 1
Trauma Dressing 10cm x 18cm x 1
How can we help?
Train Direct can help you meet the latest regulations and we’re willing to support you as your chosen first aid provider. Call us on 0330 223 5596 if you have any questions about first aid risk assessment or new kits and we’ll be happy to help.
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