First Aid Kit Contents Checklist: What Must Legally Be in Your Kit?

First Aid Kit Contents Checklist: What Must Legally Be in Your Kit?

Almost every Australian workplace has a first aid kit somewhere, but how many business owners have actually checked what should be inside it?

Some assume any kit from the chemist will do. Others assume there is one official Australian checklist that every workplace has to match exactly.

Neither is quite right.

Australian WHS requirements take a risk-based approach. Workplaces must provide access to first aid equipment, but the contents of the kit should reflect the hazards, size and location of the workplace. Safe Work Australia's model Code of Practice provides an example of typical kit contents, along with additional modules for specific risks.

So if you're wondering what should actually be in a workplace first aid kit, here's the practical breakdown.

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Is There a Legally Mandated First Aid Kit Contents List?

No single contents list applies to every Australian workplace.

Under the model WHS framework, a PCBU must provide first aid equipment and ensure workers have access to it. The first aid arrangements must take into account factors including the nature of the work, workplace hazards, the size and location of the workplace, and the number and composition of workers and other people at the workplace.

Safe Work Australia's Model Code of Practice: First aid in the workplace provides an example of the contents of a typical first aid kit. It also explains that additional equipment may be required where particular hazards are present.

That distinction matters.

A small office doesn't necessarily need the same first aid equipment as a construction site, workshop, mine or business handling hazardous chemicals.

The question isn't simply "Does my kit contain the official list?"

It's "Does our first aid equipment provide appropriate coverage for the hazards our workers could reasonably face?"

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First Aid Kit Contents Checklist: The Basic Workplace Kit

Safe Work Australia's model Code provides the following example contents for a typical workplace first aid kit. The quantities are indicative and the kit should be adapted where the workplace risk assessment identifies additional needs.

• First aid instructions: including a CPR flow chart
• Notebook and pen: for recording first aid treatment and incident details
• Resuscitation face mask or face shield: for CPR
• Disposable nitrile gloves: for protection when treating wounds
• Sterile gauze pieces: for wound cleaning and dressing
• Saline: for cleaning wounds and flushing the eyes
• Wound cleaning wipes: for cleaning minor wounds
• Adhesive dressing strips: for minor cuts and grazes
• Splinter probes: for removing superficial splinters where appropriate
• Tweezers or forceps: for handling small foreign objects
• Antiseptic: for appropriate wound care
• Non-adherent wound dressings: in small, medium and large sizes
• Conforming bandages: for securing dressings
• Crepe bandage: for pressure application and soft tissue injuries
• Scissors: for cutting dressings, tape and other materials
• Hypoallergenic adhesive tape: for securing dressings
• Safety pins: for securing bandages
• Medium and large wound dressings: for larger wounds
• Combine dressing: for larger wounds and heavier bleeding
• Plastic bags: for contaminated waste
• Triangular bandages: for slings and supporting injured limbs
• Emergency rescue blanket: for shock or hypothermia
• Eye pads: for eye injuries
• Access to clean running water or hydrogel: for burns
• Instant ice pack: for soft tissue injuries and some stings

This is the example list provided by Safe Work Australia's model Code. It should be treated as a starting point rather than a universal shopping list for every workplace.

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What Does a High-Risk Workplace Need?

This is where the original "one-size-fits-all" approach breaks down.

Safe Work Australia's model Code describes high-risk workplaces as those where workers are exposed to hazards that could result in serious injury or illness requiring first aid. Examples include construction, workplaces using hazardous machinery or substances, demolition, electrical work, welding and abrasive blasting.

For a high-risk workplace, Safe Work Australia's guidance is to provide the basic first aid kit plus additional equipment identified through the workplace risk assessment.

That might mean:

• Additional eye-wash equipment where there is a significant risk of eye contamination
• Burn treatment equipment where workers are exposed to significant burn hazards
• Additional wound dressings where serious cuts or bleeding are foreseeable
• Additional equipment for hazardous chemicals, based on the relevant safety data sheets
• Snake-bite equipment where outdoor work creates a foreseeable snake-bite risk
• Additional equipment for remote or isolated work

The important point is that high risk doesn't automatically mean every business needs exactly the same additional contents. The equipment should match the actual hazards present.

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Special First Aid Modules for Specific Risks

One of the most useful parts of Safe Work Australia's guidance is its use of additional modules for specific hazards.

Outdoor Work

If workers are operating outdoors and there is a risk of snake bites, insect stings or plant stings, the model Code recommends assessing whether the kit should include a heavy-duty 10 cm crepe bandage and sting relief cream, gel or spray.

Remote Work

Remote workplaces may require additional equipment because emergency assistance can take longer to reach an injured worker.

The model Code identifies the following additional equipment for remote work:

• Heavy-duty 10 cm crepe bandage for snake bites
• Large clean sheeting for covering burns
• Thermal blanket for treating shock
• Whistle for attracting attention
• Torch or flashlight
• Any other equipment identified by the specific workplace risk assessment

Burn Risks

Where workers are at risk of burns, the model Code provides a specific burn module. This includes burn treatment instructions, hydrogel sachets, hydrogel dressings, clean polythene sheets and a 7.5 cm cotton conforming bandage.

This is particularly relevant to workplaces involving hot surfaces, welding, cutting, chemicals or other processes where significant burns are foreseeable.

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What About Construction and Trade Sites?

Construction is specifically identified by Safe Work Australia as an example of a high-risk workplace because workers can be exposed to hazards capable of causing serious injury.

That doesn't mean every construction site needs an identical first aid kit. The equipment should reflect the work actually being performed.

A tiler cutting tiles may have a greater need for eye irrigation and wound care. A carpenter may have a greater risk of cuts and injuries from power tools. A plumber could have additional risks associated with chemicals, confined spaces or hot work. A landscaping crew may need to consider snake bites, stings and outdoor hazards.

The best first aid kit is therefore one that starts with a solid general workplace kit and is supplemented for the hazards your crew actually faces.

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Items That Often Get Overlooked

A first aid kit can look well stocked while still having important gaps.

Some of the items worth checking include:

• Enough wound dressings: one dressing isn't much use if several workers are injured in the same incident
• Saline: particularly important where dust, debris or chemicals can affect the eyes
• Non-adherent dressings: useful for larger wounds where a standard adhesive dressing isn't appropriate
• Triangular bandages: useful for slings and supporting injured limbs
• CPR face protection: a resuscitation mask or shield should be readily available
• Thermal blanket: useful when managing shock or hypothermia
• Burn treatment: particularly where the risk assessment identifies a significant burn hazard
• Gloves: enough disposable gloves should be available for treating injuries safely

Also check that sterile products remain sealed, items haven't deteriorated and anything used from the kit has been replaced.

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What Shouldn't Be in a Workplace First Aid Kit?

It's not just about what you add.

Safe Work Australia's model Code specifically advises that medications such as paracetamol and aspirin should not be included in workplace first aid kits because they can cause adverse effects for some people and their supply may be subject to drugs and poisons laws. Workers who need medication should generally carry their own medication for personal use.

The Code notes that some workplaces may consider providing an asthma-relieving inhaler and spacer or an epinephrine auto-injector where appropriate, but these should be stored correctly and first aiders should receive appropriate training.

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How Often Should You Check Your First Aid Kit?

Buying the right contents once isn't enough.

Safe Work Australia's model Code recommends checking a first aid kit after each use or, if it hasn't been used, at least once every 12 months. Used items should be replaced as soon as practicable, and the contents should be checked for deterioration, expiry dates and damaged or opened sterile packaging.

For a busy trade business, checking more frequently can make sense. A kit kept in a ute that's being used every day will generally experience more wear and consumption than a kit sitting in an office cupboard.

Our guide on when to restock your first aid kit covers the practical side of keeping your kit ready for use.

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What Makes a Good First Aid Kit for Tradies?

If you're buying a first aid kit for a construction site, ute, workshop or trade business, don't just look at the number of items in the box.

Look at whether the kit is:

• Appropriate for your hazards
• Large enough for the number of workers and likely injuries
• Easy to identify and access quickly
• Protected from dust, moisture and contamination
• Easy to check and restock
• Portable enough for the way your workers actually work

Safe Work Australia's model Code also recommends that first aid kits are immediately identifiable, contain a list of their contents and protect those contents from dust, moisture and contamination.

The Trade Aid Compact Kit is designed for mobile workers, tradies and smaller crews who need a portable first aid setup. For larger crews, workshops and more demanding site environments, the Trade Aid Classic Kit provides a larger setup with additional wound care and trauma supplies.

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The Practical Takeaway

There isn't one legally mandated contents list that every Australian workplace has to follow word-for-word.

What Australian WHS requirements do require is access to appropriate first aid equipment, with the contents and overall arrangements based on the risks of the workplace. Safe Work Australia's model Code provides a useful example of a basic workplace kit, with additional modules for hazards such as burns, outdoor work and remote locations.

If you run a trade or construction business, don't just compare your kit with an office first aid kit. Look at the actual hazards your workers face and make sure your equipment covers them.

And remember that the model Code is national guidance rather than a regulator. WHS laws are administered by individual states and territories, so businesses should check the requirements that apply in their jurisdiction.

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What About Tax Deductions?

If your business purchases first aid kits for use in carrying on the business, the expense may be deductible depending on your circumstances. Keep your receipts and business records, and speak with your accountant or tax adviser if you're unsure about the tax treatment.

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