How Many First Aiders Does a Mining Site Need in Australia?

Trained first aiders on an Australian mining site

How many first aiders does a mining site need? It sounds like a question that should have a simple numerical answer, but Australian workplace first aid guidance takes a more practical approach. Safe Work Australia recommends one first aider for every 25 workers in high-risk workplaces and one for every 10 workers in remote high-risk workplaces, with a mine specifically given as an example of a remote high-risk workplace. But workforce numbers are only part of the equation. Mining operations also need to consider shift coverage, underground crews, remote work areas, contractors and how quickly a trained first aider can actually reach an injured worker.

What Is the Recommended First Aider Ratio for Mining?

Safe Work Australia's first aid guidance recommends the following ratios:

Low-risk workplaces: one first aider for every 50 workers
High-risk workplaces: one first aider for every 25 workers
Remote high-risk workplaces: one first aider for every 10 workers

Safe Work Australia specifically gives a mine as an example of a remote high-risk workplace when describing the one-first-aider-per-10-workers recommendation.

A useful starting point: for a remote high-risk mining workplace, Safe Work Australia's model guidance recommends one trained first aider for every 10 workers.

However, that figure should not be treated as a universal legal formula for every Australian mine.

Mining operators need to consider the legislation applying in their state or territory, the risks at their operation and whether the recommended ratio actually provides effective first aid coverage in practice.

For the broader requirements around mining first aid, read our First Aid Kit Requirements for Mining Sites in Australia guide.

Is One First Aider Per 10 Workers a Legal Requirement?

Not as a blanket Australia-wide rule.

The one-per-10 figure comes from Safe Work Australia's model first aid guidance for remote high-risk workplaces.

Safe Work Australia's Model Code of Practice uses the word "should" for recommended courses of action. The Code may have legal effect where it has been approved in a particular jurisdiction, but workplace obligations and mining-specific requirements can differ between states and territories.

That means it is safer to describe the ratio as a recommended benchmark rather than saying every mine is legally required to employ exactly one first aider for every 10 people.

Mining operators should check the requirements of the WHS and mining safety regulator that applies to their operation.

Why Mining Sites Often Need More Than a Simple Headcount

Imagine a site has 100 workers and calculates its first aider numbers from the overall workforce.

That number alone does not tell you whether trained first aiders are actually available where and when they are needed.

Those workers may be spread between:

Surface operations
Underground workings
Processing facilities
Mechanical workshops
Maintenance areas
Remote field locations
Mining vehicles
Exploration areas
Camp and administration facilities

A mine therefore needs to consider the practical distribution of trained first aiders, not simply whether the total number on an employee list meets a ratio.

Count the Maximum Number of Workers Present at One Time

Safe Work Australia's model guidance recommends starting with the maximum number of workers likely to be at the workplace at any one time.

That distinction matters for mining operations using rotating rosters.

A mine might employ several hundred people overall, but not all of them are necessarily on site simultaneously.

When assessing first aider numbers, consider:

Normal day-shift numbers
Night-shift numbers
Roster overlaps
Shutdown periods
Major maintenance campaigns
Contractors
Visitors carrying out work
Temporary increases in workforce numbers

The busiest operating period may create very different first aid needs from the site's average daily workforce.

High-Risk vs Remote High-Risk Mining Workplaces

The distinction between a high-risk workplace and a remote high-risk workplace can materially affect the recommended ratio.

Safe Work Australia recommends:

1 first aider per 25 workers for high-risk workplaces
1 first aider per 10 workers for remote high-risk workplaces

The model guidance says high-risk workplaces that do not have timely access to medical and ambulance services should have at least one first aider for every 10 workers.

This is particularly relevant to many Australian mining operations because professional medical assistance may be a considerable distance away.

However, not every mine has identical access to medical care. A metropolitan quarry, for example, may have a very different emergency-response environment from an isolated mine several hours from the nearest hospital.

The site-specific circumstances matter.

Underground Mines Need to Consider Where First Aiders Are Located

An underground mine can demonstrate why ratios alone are not enough.

A site might technically have enough trained first aiders overall while most of them are working on the surface.

If an incident occurs kilometres underground, that may not provide effective first aid coverage.

When planning underground coverage, consider:

How many workers are underground at one time
Which levels or work areas they are operating in
Travel times between work areas
Availability of trained first aiders underground
Communication systems
Emergency response arrangements

The aim is to have trained assistance accessible in practice, not simply somewhere on the mine lease.

We cover these issues in more detail in our First Aid Requirements for Underground Mining in Australia guide.

First Aider Coverage Needs to Work on Every Shift

A common planning mistake is looking at the total number of qualified first aiders employed by the business without considering when those people are actually at work.

A mine may have plenty of trained first aiders on its books but significantly fewer available during certain shifts.

Check coverage across:

Day shift
Night shift
Weekends
Public holidays
Shutdowns
Reduced staffing periods

Annual leave, illness, training days and roster changes can also temporarily reduce first aider availability.

Having 10 trained first aiders employed by the operation does not mean you have 10 first aiders available on every shift.

Don't Forget Contractors

Contractors can significantly increase the number of people present on a mine site, particularly during shutdowns, construction projects or major maintenance work.

The first aid assessment should consider the maximum number of workers at the workplace, not simply the mine operator's permanent employees.

This means temporary increases in contractor numbers may require the operation to review whether its existing first aid arrangements remain suitable.

Where contractors provide their own trained first aiders, responsibilities and emergency arrangements should still be clearly coordinated between businesses.

What About Remote or Isolated Mining Crews?

Some workers may operate a long distance from the main concentration of personnel.

Examples can include:

Exploration crews
Field maintenance teams
Infrastructure inspection crews
Remote pumping or monitoring locations
Mobile workers travelling between work areas

In these situations, simply having trained first aiders back at the main operation may not provide timely access.

The assessment should consider how quickly an injured worker could receive first aid and how emergency assistance would be contacted.

Our First Aid for Remote Mining Sites in Australia guide covers the broader planning requirements for remote work.

First Aiders Need to Be Easy to Identify

Workers need to know who the trained first aiders are before an emergency happens.

Safe Work Australia recommends making first aiders easy to find. Examples include having them wear a particular high-visibility identifier or displaying a first aid contact number.

A mining operation might use:

First aider lists in crib rooms
Emergency contact boards
Radio call signs
Site communication systems
First aider identification on workforce systems
Clearly communicated emergency numbers

The exact system is up to the operation, but workers should know how to locate trained help quickly.

What Training Should a Mining First Aider Have?

Safe Work Australia says workplace first aiders should hold a nationally recognised statement of attainment issued by a registered training organisation and undertake training regularly to keep their knowledge current.

The appropriate training may depend on the risks at the mine.

Safe Work Australia notes that additional first aid training may be needed where:

Work is remote or isolated
Dangerous substances create specific first aid risks
Specialist first aid equipment is provided
Other workplace-specific circumstances justify additional training

This does not mean every mining first aider automatically needs the same advanced qualification.

The level of training should reflect the operation's hazards, isolation and emergency response arrangements.

First Aiders Are Only One Part of the Response

A suitable number of first aiders is important, but first aid planning does not stop there.

Mining operations also need appropriate:

First aid kits
First aid equipment
First aid facilities where required
Emergency communication systems
Emergency response procedures
Medical evacuation arrangements

These systems need to work together.

A trained first aider cannot do much if appropriate equipment is kilometres away. Likewise, a well-stocked first aid kit cannot provide care by itself.

For guidance on distributing equipment across an operation, see our guide to setting up first aid kits across a mining site.

Example: A Remote Mine With 60 Workers on Shift

Consider a remote high-risk mining operation with a maximum of 60 workers present on a particular shift.

Using Safe Work Australia's recommended ratio of one first aider for every 10 workers, six first aiders would be the starting benchmark.

But the assessment should not finish there.

The operation would still need to ask:

Where are those six first aiders located?
Are some underground and some on the surface?
Are any working remotely?
Can every major work area access trained help quickly?
What happens when one first aider is absent?
Does night shift have equivalent coverage?
Are additional contractors expected during shutdowns?

It may therefore be appropriate for the operation to train more people than the basic numerical benchmark suggests.

Example: A High-Risk Mine Close to Emergency Services

Not every mining workplace is necessarily remote.

If a mining operation is high-risk but has timely access to medical and ambulance services, Safe Work Australia's general high-risk recommendation of one first aider for every 25 workers may be a more relevant starting point.

Again, the operator should consider the nature of the work, location of workers and applicable jurisdictional requirements rather than choosing a ratio based solely on the industry name.

Should You Train More First Aiders Than the Minimum Benchmark?

Often, there can be practical reasons to train more workers than the basic recommended ratio.

Additional coverage may help account for:

Annual leave
Sick leave
Roster changes
Workers moving between areas
Night-shift coverage
Large or dispersed workplaces
Underground access
Remote field work
Major shutdowns

Training additional workers can provide greater resilience so the site's first aid capability does not depend on one specific person being available.

Mining First Aider Planning Checklist

Questions to Ask on Your Site

What is the maximum number of workers present at one time?
Is the workplace high-risk?
Is it remote or is timely ambulance and medical access difficult?
Which recommended first aider ratio is relevant to the site's circumstances?
Are first aiders spread across the areas where workers actually operate?
Is there sufficient underground coverage?
Are remote and isolated crews covered?
Does every shift have suitable first aider coverage?
Have contractor numbers been included?
What happens when trained first aiders are on leave or unavailable?
Can workers easily identify and contact a first aider?
Does the site's training reflect its specific hazards?
Have relevant state or territory mining requirements been checked?

How Many First Aiders Does a Mining Site Need? The Bottom Line

For many Australian mining operations, the most useful starting point is Safe Work Australia's recommendation of one first aider for every 10 workers in a remote high-risk workplace.

For high-risk workplaces that are not remote, the model guidance recommends one for every 25 workers.

But neither figure should be used in isolation.

A mining operation should also consider where workers are located, how shifts are structured, how quickly first aiders can reach different work areas, whether contractors increase workforce numbers and how far the site is from professional medical assistance.

The goal is not simply to reach a number on paper. It is to make sure trained first aid help is genuinely available when and where it is needed.

For a broader overview of mining first aid arrangements, read our First Aid Kit Requirements for Mining Sites in Australia guide.

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This article provides general information only and is not a substitute for workplace-specific WHS, mining safety, training or legal advice. Safe Work Australia's first aider ratios are recommendations under the model first aid guidance and should not be treated as universal statutory minimums across every Australian jurisdiction. Safe Work Australia is not a regulator. Mining operators should check the requirements of their relevant WHS and mining safety regulator and conduct a site-specific risk assessment.