Workplace injuries are far more common than perhaps people realize. In 2021, employers reported 2.6 million injuries and illnesses occurring in the workplace, and despite legislation requiring all injuries to be reported, it’s likely that unreported accidents would increase this number further. Perhaps even more shockingly, workplace fatalities increased by almost 9% in 2021 to 5,190.

It’s clear from the evidence that workplaces can be dangerous places, and even though some would appear to have more obvious risks than others, accidents can occur almost anywhere, and at any time. So, you need to be prepared.

We can all imagine how injuries might occur on a construction site, through the misuse of power tools, falling, or through a blow to the body from moving materials. But, although it's perhaps less dramatic, imagine an office scenario where an employee slips on a step and cuts their wrist or bangs their head on an open cupboard door.

These types of injuries would seem to be less severe than those suffered on a construction site but without the right equipment in a basic first aid kit, even minor injuries can become serious quite quickly. The last thing you want is to be left trying to stem the bleeding using napkins from the staff canteen or similar. You need effective first aid equipment from a well-stocked box.

First aid kits can save lives. It’s that simple. They help to prevent injuries worsening, stem bleeding, alleviate discomfort and buy precious time until first responders get to the scene. They are also required by law.

The First Aid Kit as Part of Your Prevention Program

Before we get on to the details of the essentials for any first aid kit in the workplace, it’s worth noting that this should only form part of a wider prevention and response protocol that should be in place at your place of work. This should include a network of measures such as risk assessments, health and safety checks, and incident reporting and monitoring. However, even with the best intentions and full compliance with regulation, sometimes accidents just happen. And when they do you need to be prepared.

Safe Work Australia First Aid Requirements 2024

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Safe Work Australia is the federal body that oversees health and safety in Australian workplaces. They have created a code of practice that all workplaces must follow in order to be legally compliant.

The following list sets out the minimum acceptable category and number of supplies that are adequate for small work sites of two to three employees. When work sites are larger or have more employees, it is the employer’s responsibility to ensure additional first aid kits or more supplies are provided.

According to Safe Work, a standard workplace first aid kit should include:

First aid booklet with instructions for how to properly administer first aid
Notebook and pen
Resuscitation equipment such as resuscitation mask
Disposable, latex-free nitrile gloves
Non-stick Gauze pads (at least7.5 x 7.5 cm)
Saline – 15ml
Wound cleaning agent such as sealed moistened towelettes
Adhesive tape
Box adhesive dressing strips (band-aids)
Disposable sterile splinter probes
Tweezers/Forceps
Antiseptic spray – 50 ml
Non-adherent dressing in small (5 x 5 cm), medium (7.5 x 10 cm), and large (10 x 10 cm)
Two gauze roller bandages, 5 cm and 7.5 cm in width
Crepe bandages (10 cm) for heavy bleeding
Scissors
Non-stretch, hypoallergenic adhesive tape (2.5 cm width)
Six-pack of safety pins
BPC wound dressing pads – no. 14 (medium) and no. 15 (large)
Wound dressing – Combine Dressing Pad 9 x 20 cm
Plastic bags with clip seals
A triangular bandage (calico or cotton, minimum 90 cm in width)
Thermal blanket
Single-use eye pad
3.5 gm sachets of hydrogel. Note: gel sachets should only be used when clean running water is not available.
Instant cold pack

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Of course, this is just the basic minimum mandatory requirement, and larger workplaces will need either multiple kits located around the site or more supplies of the basic items listed above. Workplaces that come with specific hazards, like snake bites, insect stings, or burns, have additional requirements for their available first aid kit contents.

It may also be a good idea to equip your first aid kit in the workplace with other items that you may find helpful in an emergency, like face shields, splints for sprains, and gauze swabs. Safe Work specifically recommends against including painkillers in workplace first aid kits because they can be risky to use with some patients.

In fact, in 2022, the International Safety Equipment Association announced further recommendations for standard first aid kits. These new standards include the addition of a foil blanket, tourniquets, and bleeding control kits. Employers were encouraged to check their first aid kits and make the recommended additions to ensure they were conforming to the new standards.

It’s recommended to familiarize yourself with other safety resources, as well. For example, you can find online tools and apps that are useful for locating the nearest AED in a cardiac emergency.

First Aid Kit Location and Inspection

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First aid kits should be clearly marked and located in convenient and easy-to-reach positions. Ideally, they should be wall-mounted or stored in a specific location where they will not be blocked or obscured. On larger worksites, first aid kits should be located in multiple accessible places around the site so that travel time is reduced should an accident occur.

First aid kits should also be inspected once a month, with items checked off against a tick list. If an accident or injury does happen and treatment is required, this should be logged through the relevant reporting methods and any items used from the first aid box should be immediately replaced. Don’t forget to check expiry dates!

Why First Aid Matters

We all want to think that bad things won’t happen to us. That it will be someone else who cuts their hand, slips on the stairs, or has an accident with machinery. But the reality is that with 2.6 million accidents happening each year in the workplace, there’s always the risk that it could be any one of us.

When it does, we all want to know that the right equipment and supplies are in place and easily accessible to give us the treatment we need as quickly and efficiently as possible. That’s why having a well-stocked and maintained first aid kit in the workplace is so important.

You may remember the story of Robyn Neilson, whose neighbor was gravely injured while working on a remote farm. Robyn, who had formerly worked in medical settings, “snapped into what we used to call intensive care mode,” and used her first aid training to keep her neighbor alive for two full hours while waiting for emergency medical personnel.

Since this incident, Robyn has advocated for extensive workplace preparedness in Australia, urging employers and employees alike to be ready for the worst and get properly trained in first aid. As Robyn knows, someone’s life could depend on how well-prepared a workplace is for an emergency.

Is a First Aid Course Required?

For some workplaces that Safe Work considers high risk, like construction sites, formal first aid training is required for at least one employee out of every 25. If your workplace is remote and very dangerous, like a mine, the recommendation is that one person out of every ten should be formally trained in first aid.

The law requires workplaces to either have “one or more workers” trained to provide first aid, or they must bring in someone to perform first aid who has been trained. For those who are trained, a national certification is required.

The legal requirements vary based on the type of workplace, and are more lenient in low-risk workplaces, but it is best practice for every workplace to have at least one employee who is trained in first aid.

Author: Steven John Cumper, B.App.SC. (Osteo.), M.Ost., is a businessman with a strong foundation in biomedical science and osteopathic medicine, who founded and led Medshop to international success, culminating in its acquisition by the Bunzl Group in September 2021, where he continues to serve as Managing Director (Medshop Group).