First Aid Kit Requirements for Construction Sites in Australia (2025/26 Guide)

If you're running a construction site, you already know the risks. But most builders and subbies have never actually read what the law says about first aid — and the gap between what's on-site and what's required can be costly. Here's a plain-English breakdown of what Australian WHS law requires.

Why Construction Sites Are Different

Under Safe Work Australia's Work Health and Safety (WHS) regulations, workplaces are classified by risk level. Construction is explicitly classified as a high-risk workplace — meaning the requirements for first aid provisions are significantly more stringent than a standard office environment.

This matters because the minimum contents required for a high-risk workplace first aid kit are more comprehensive than what you'd find in a generic chemist kit. If your kit doesn't meet the standard, you're non-compliant — even if you have a kit on-site.

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What the Law Actually Requires

Safe Work Australia's First Aid in the Workplace Code of Practice sets out the requirements. For construction sites, the key obligations are:

• At least 1 trained first aider for every 25 workers on a high-risk site.
• First aid kits must be appropriate for the nature and scale of the work being done.
• Kits must be regularly inspected and restocked — expired or used items must be replaced.
• First aid kits must be readily accessible — not locked away or stored somewhere workers can't reach.
• If 100 or more workers are on site, a dedicated first aid room is required.

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What Must Be in the Kit

The Code of Practice doesn't prescribe an exact list, but it states kits must contain supplies appropriate to the type and severity of injuries likely to occur at that workplace. For a construction site, that means going well beyond the contents of a basic low-risk kit.

At minimum, a construction site first aid kit should include:

• Bandages — conforming, triangular, and pressure bandages
• Wound dressings — non-adherent pads in multiple sizes
• Sterile eye pads and saline eyewash
• Hydrogel sachets for burn treatment
• Disposable nitrile gloves (multiple pairs)
• CPR mask or face shield
• Metal scissors and tweezers
• Wound closure strips
• Splinter probes
• Snake bite bandage (especially for outdoor and regional sites)
• First aid instruction booklet or card
• Clearly labelled compartments for fast access under pressure

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The Difference Between Low-Risk and High-Risk Kits

A low-risk workplace kit — the kind you'd find in a real estate office or retail store — is designed to handle minor cuts, headaches, and basic injuries. A high-risk workplace kit needs to handle lacerations, crush injuries, eye injuries, burns, fractures, and potentially life-threatening situations until emergency services arrive.

This is why a generic kit from the supermarket doesn't cut it on a construction site. It's not just about quantity — it's about having the right supplies for the right environment.

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First Aider Ratios — What You Need to Know

Having a first aid kit is only part of the obligation. You also need trained personnel to use it. Under Safe Work Australia guidelines:

• High-risk workplaces (including construction): 1 trained first aider per 25 workers.
• Remote or regional high-risk sites: 1 trained first aider per 10 workers.
• Ratios apply per shift — not across the whole site per day.
• The relevant qualification is HLTAID011 (Provide First Aid).

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Penalties for Non-Compliance

WHS non-compliance on construction sites is taken seriously by state and territory regulators. Fines for failing to provide adequate first aid provisions can reach tens of thousands of dollars for businesses, and in the event of a serious workplace injury, inadequate first aid arrangements will be a significant factor in any investigation.

Beyond the legal risk, having inadequate first aid on-site puts your workers at genuine risk. The cost of a proper kit is negligible compared to the cost of a serious incident — financially, legally, and personally.

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The Bottom Line